Commercial Revitalization in Union Square:
An Analysis of Main Street Applied to a Multi-ethnic Business District
by
Beatriz de la Torre
B.A. in Communication
University of Pennsylvania, 1997
Submitted to the Department of Urban Studies and Planning
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master in City Planning
at the
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
June 2005
MASSACHUSETTS INSTrtT
OF TECHNOLOGY
@ 2005 Beatriz de la Torre. All Rights Reserved.
The authot
'nts to MiT
/
JUN 2 8 2005
pernsskyn to tartxuuce and to
dki)tiUte publzty paper and
else-cTonic copies of this thesis
doAuenthi whole or in port
LIBRARIES
Signature of Author:
Department of Urban Studies and Planning
May 2005
Certified by:
Karl Seidman
Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Thesis Supervisor
Accepted by:
-
Professor Dennis Frenchman
Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Chair, MCP Committee
ROTCH
2
Commercial Revitalization in Union Square:
An Analysis of Main Street Applied to a Multi-ethnic Business District
by
Beatriz De la Torre
Submitted to the Department of Urban Studies and
Planning on May 18, 2005 in partial fulfillment of the
Requirements for Degree of Master in City Planning
ABSTRACT
Urban neighborhoods in the United States have a rich composition of ethnicities within
their population and their business community. Understanding that ethnic business
owners need to be integrated in commercial revitalization efforts is not only important
but is also necessary. Immigrant and ethnic groups are growing at a fast rate in the United
States, and entrepreneurship continues to be one of the most viable options for their
economic mobility.
This thesis explores how diversity can be utilized as an asset within the organizational
and promotional efforts of commercial revitalization initiatives. Specifically, it addresses
how to broaden participation and how to integrate ethnic business owners in the
development and implementation of revitalization efforts. It also discusses how to utilize
ethnic diversity as a promotional tool to strengthen the image of a district and broaden the
appeal of an area. This thesis draws on lessons and effective practices from a literature
review and from the analysis of two case studies, Hyde Jackson Square Main Street and
Sunset Park 5 th Avenue BID. It concludes by providing specific recommendations to
Union Square Main Street on how to best integrate the district's rich diversity in its
revitalization efforts.
Thesis Supervisor: Karl Seidman
Title: Senior Lecturer, Department of Urban Studies and Planning
I first want to thank the Union Square Main Street association for supporting me and
allowing me to attend several of their meetings. I especially want to thank Mimi Graney
for always being so kind to share information. I also want to thank the rest of the USMS
Board for taking the time to talk to me and sharing information on Union Square. I hope
this thesis is helpful to you.
I also want to thank all the business owners in Union Square who allowed me to
interview them. Their insights and ideas have been invaluable throughout the entire
process. I want to give a special thanks to the owner of Ricky's FlowerMarket for giving
me a 'good luck thesis plant' that made my work space much livelier.
My most sincere thanks to all the people I interviewed for the case studies in Hyde
Jackson Square and Sunset Park for being so open with me in sharing the challenges and
opportunities they face.
I want to thank my thesis advisor, Karl Seidman, for always providing me with timely
and constructive feedback, and for guiding me throughout the entire process. Thanks to
my reader, Susan Silberberg, for giving me great suggestions on how to improve my
thesis after the first draft.
Great thanks to my awesome PENN crew, the OLN chicas, SCCers, salsa DUSPers, mis
boricuas queridos and all my lovely friends from all parts of life who have made me take
study breaks when I needed them the most, and give me a million reasons to smile
everyday.
Most of all, I want to thank my family for being the absolute best support network I could
ever wish for and always being my biggest cheerleaders. Mami, Papi, Panchi y Moniison lo mejor del mundo!
Finalmente, quiero darle gracias a Ita por ser mi aingel guardian. No sabes lo mucho que
me hubiese gustado que me vieras graduarme de MIT, pero se que estas conmigo y que
siempre me cuidas desde alla.
7
C hapter 1: Introduction ..............................................................................
Guiding Research Questions and Audience..........................................9
Research Areas and Methodology ......................................................
T hesis Outline ..............................................................................
10
12
Chapter 2: Literature Review ...................................................................
Commercial Revitalization ............................................................
Ethnic Entrepreneurship ...................................................................
Organizational Design .................................................................
Insights from Case Studies ...............................................................
C onclusion ...............................................................................
13
14
16
21
24
28
Chapter 3: Case Studies ........................................................................
Hyde Jackson Square ...................................................................
Business District Background ................................................
Main Street Program .............................................................
O rganization .......................................................................
P rom otion ..........................................................................
Lessons and Effective Practices .............................................
Sunset Park B ID ........................................................................
Business District Background ................................................
Business Improvement District .................................................
Organization .....................................................................
Prom otion ..........................................................................
Lessons and Effective Practices .............................................
31
32
32
33
34
38
40
41
41
43
44
48
50
Chapter 4: Union Square Snapshot .............................................................
H istory ...................................................................................
A rea of Study ............................................................................
D emographics ..............................................................................
Business District Composition ...................................
Interviews with Business Owners ....................................................
Competing Neighborhood Centers ..................................................
Conclusion: Challenges and Opportunities .........................................
53
. 53
54
54
57
62
66
67
Chapter 5: Recommendations for Union Square Main Street..............................71
71
Union Square Main Street ..............................................................
76
Other Organizations in Union Square ................................................
USMS Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of Main Lessons ............. 76
81
Recommendations for USMS .........................................................
81
Organization .......................................................................
90
..........................................................................
Prom otion
. 95
C onclusion ............................................................................................
97
.......
B ibliography ........................................................................
Appendices
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
A: List of Interviewees ...............................................................
B: Union Square Business Inventory ..............................................
C: Sample Letter Roles and Responsibilities for Board Members ............
D: Flyer Advertising Hyde Jackson Square's World Fair ......................
E: Sunset Park BID 2004 Survey Questions and Results .......................
F: Union Square Business Owners Interview Questions ........................
G: Union Square Main Street Brochure ...........................................
101
102
106
108
109
111
113
Tables
Table 1: Key Findings from BID's Needs Assessment Survey ...........................
44
Table 2: Sunset Park BID Board of Directors ..............................................
45
Table 3: Racial and Latino Composition of Union Square and Primary Market .......... 56
Table 4: Union Square's Foreign Born Population .........................................
56
Table 5: Business Inventory Summary Table ................................................
59
Table 6: Ethnicities Represented in Union Square .........................................
60
Table 7: Findings about Organizations and USMS from Merchant Interviews............66
Table 8: Access to Competing Neighborhood Commercial Centers ..................... 67
Table 9: Summary of Organizational Recommendations for USMS ........................ 82
Exhibits
Exhibit
Exhibit
Exhibit
Exhibit
Exhibit
Exhibit
1: Focus Group Process that Preceded HJSMS ....................................
2: Ethnic Businesses in Union Square ..............................................
3: Distribution of Interviewees by Ethnicity .......................................
4: Distribution of Interviewees by Business Type .................................
5: Illustration of Bridges for Brazilian Community ...............................
6: Summary of Promotional Recommendations for USMS ......................
35
60
62
62
85
91
Maps
Map 1: Union Square Main Street Boundaries ..............................................
Map 2: Union Square's Primary Market Area ..............................................
54
55
"The commercial district is the living room of a neighborhood. If it's not healthy and safe
no one will want to hang out there, ultimately impacting the community".
Founding Member of Hyde Jackson Square Main Street
Healthy commercial districts play a vital role in the attractiveness and livability of urban
neighborhoods. They help maintain and attract investment and jobs, directly contributing
to the bottom line revenues of an area. A healthy district also contributes to the quality of
life of nearby community members by providing them with more options for goods and
services. More importantly, these districts fulfill an important civic function by providing
a 'living room' space where community members can congregate and connect. As with
any house, if the living room is not appealing or safe the neighborhood will not be seen as
desirable.
It is no surprise that commercial revitalization has emerged as a community and
economic development priority in the last decades. Various revitalization models have
been implemented in cities and neighborhoods across the United States, most notably
Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and the Main Street model. BIDs function within
a legally constituted district where property owners pay a special tax or assessment to
cover the costs of services or facilities for which the district has particular needs. The
BID model provides an organizational and funding structure, but does not provide a
framework for revitalization strategies. The Main Street model, on the other hand, is a
public-private partnership that takes a comprehensive and incremental approach to
revitalization. It provides a flexible framework to address local needs under four broad
areas: (1) organization; (2) promotion; (3) design; and (4) economic restructuring.
Although both models present different challenges and opportunities, one important
shared characteristic is their lack of attention towards ethnic communities. Immigrant and
ethnic groups continue to grow at a fast rate in the United States, and entrepreneurship
continues to be one of the most viable options for their economic mobility. It is therefore
crucial that commercial revitalization models take into account how these groups differ
from non-ethnic business communities and how strategies can be modified to address the
needs of a multi-ethnic business district. From an organizational standpoint, it is
important to address how to broaden participation and integrate ethnic business
community members into the development and implementation of revitalization efforts.
Similarly, it is important to understand how to utilize ethnic diversity as a promotional
asset to strengthen the image of a district and broaden the appeal of an area.
Many urban neighborhoods are grappling with this issue. Union Square in Somerville,
MA is one of them. In February 2005, the Union Square Main Street organization was
created with the goal of increasing the vibrancy of the neighborhood by enhancing the
business district. As Somerville's oldest commercial district, Union Square has a rich
history of being an entry portal for immigrant groups and continues to play that role. The
presence of immigrants is noticeable through the lively streetscapes that reflect ethnicspecific services and products and the organizations that serve the diverse population of
the area. Today the languages spoken by business owners and customers include
Portuguese, Haitian-Creole, Spanish, Hindi and several Asian languages, among others.
This thesis looks at how commercial revitalization models can be successfully applied to
such a multi-ethnic community with the hopes that it will be useful to Union Square Main
Street and other districts confronting similar issues.
Organizing business owners across different ethnicities is not an easy task. Traditional
outreach and communication strategies might not necessarily work due to language and
cultural barriers. In addition, practitioners working in multi-ethnic neighborhoods have to
deal with mistrust and other contextual influences that might be present in the district.
This thesis seeks to provide ideas on how to integrate ethnic business owners in the
organization leading the revitalization efforts. It also provides recommendations on how
to communicate the program benefits to engage the ethnic business communities and get
them to buy into the project. Diversity in a commercial district can also be used as an
effective promotional tool. This thesis highlights several examples where tying the
identity of a district to the ethnic character of the area has proven to be successful in
attracting a wider customer base and gaining a competitive advantage.
A fundamental starting point in this thesis is that diversity, if treated properly, can be a
great asset to a business community in the context of commercial revitalization efforts.
This thesis will further explore how this asset can be leveraged.
Guiding Research Questions
Because commercial revitalization is inherently a place-based strategy, this thesis focuses
primarily on investigating case studies of areas that have dealt with this issue in the past.
It also focuses on analyzing Union Square, a district that is in the process of defining its
revitalization efforts. The main findings from the case studies and the literature review
are captured in a list of effective practices or recommendations, and are tied to two
guiding research questions:
How can a multi-ethnic business district:
(1) ensure inclusion and representation of different ethnic business groups in the
leadership organization overseeing the revitalization efforts?
(2) utilize diversity to form an identity or image that will appeal to a larger customer
base and will help spur incremental economic activity?
Audience
There are two main audiences for this thesis. The first is the Union Square Main Street
organization. Through an analysis of their commercial district and other case studies, this
thesis seeks to provide specific recommendations on how to utilize the great diversity of
their district as an asset. The second audience is composed of practitioners who work on
revitalizing multi-ethnic commercial districts. This thesis is aimed at helping them
recognize issues that might come up in their practice, and give them ideas on what
strategies they could pursue to be more effective.
Research Areas and Methodology
There are three main research areas outlined in this thesis. The first is a compilation of
secondary sources reviewing relevant academic and practitioner literature. The second
records information collected through mostly primary research on two case studies of
commercial districts that are similar to Union Square, and are organized under the Main
Street model or a BID. The third is an analysis of Union Square utilizing data from
primary and secondary sources.
LiteratureReview
The literature review was conducted by utilizing secondary sources in academic and
practitioner books and journals dealing with the following four topics:
1. Commercial district revitalization including the Main Street model and
Business Improvement Districts.
2. The emergence of ethnic entrepreneurship and characteristics that define
ethnic business owners.
3. Frameworks in organizational design literature that address issues of
representation and mistrust.
4. Two case studies recorded by practitioners: Fruitvale in Oakland, CA and
District del Sol in St. Paul, MN.
Case Studies of DistrictsSimilarto Union Square
I conducted primary research on two commercial districts: Sunset Park in Brooklyn, NY
and Hyde Jackson Square in Boston, MA. Case studies were selected based on their
demographic profile and their experience with revitalization initiatives. Sunset Park is
organized under a BID while Hyde Jackson Square is organized under the Main Street
model. Most of the information in this section was obtained through interviews with
current and past program directors and key founders of the revitalization programs in
place. I conducted five interviews in total, three for Hyde Jackson Square and two for
Sunset Park. The names and titles of all the interviewees are included in Appendix A. I
also utilized secondary sources such as census data, newspaper articles, promotional
materials, websites, annual reports and surveys conducted and managed by the respective
organizations.
Union Square
The research on Union Square is divided into three categories:
1. Demographics and Business Inventory
In order to get a better understanding of the demographics and commercial
characteristics of Union Square, I collected data from the U.S. Census, City of
Somerville and Urban Land Institute, among others. I also drew information from
data recorded in the Union Square Master Plan and the Neighborhood Revitalization
Strategy Area Plan (NRSA), completed in 2002 and 2003 respectively.
The business inventory was created using a combination of primary and secondary
data. It is based on the boundaries set by Union Square Main Streets for the Central
Business District or CBD. I first utilized assessors data from the City of Somerville to
determine the square footage of the buildings located in the CBD. I then determined
the square footage, industry type and the profile (ethnic or non-ethnic) of each
business based on field observations. The completed business inventory together with
a more detailed explanation of the methodology utilized is included as Appendix B.
2. Union Square Main Street
Most of the information on the Union Square Main Street organization was gathered
through formal interviews and informal conversations with the Executive Director
and several Board Members. During the months of February and March 2005, I was
able to attend several committee meetings to learn more about the goals and
objectives of the organization. In addition, I interviewed two individuals who work or
had worked at the Planning Department in the City of Somerville to gain their
perspective on Union Square and the Main Street program. Finally, I gathered
information from several secondary sources including promotional materials and
meeting handouts.
3. Business Owners
All of the information on Union Square business owners was obtained through
primary research. Throughout the month of March 2005, I was able to interview
fifteen business owners. All interviews were conducted in the business owners' stores
and were face-to-face. The interviewees were mostly chosen at random, and represent
the wide-array of ethnicities found along the district. Most interviews were conducted
in English except for four that were either fully conducted in Spanish or a mix of
Portuguese and Spanish.
Thesis Outline
This chapter, Chapter 1, provides the framework and guiding research questions that
direct the rest of the thesis. Chapter 2 reviews relevant literature on commercial
revitalization, ethnic entrepreneurship and organizational design, and draws important
lessons from each. In addition, it reviews two case studies recorded by practitioners on
districts that have directly addressed and integrated ethnicity into their revitalization
efforts. Chapter 3 takes the list of lessons and effective practices started in Chapter 2
and builds on them through a case study review of Hyde Jackson Square Main Street and
Sunset Park BID, both commercial districts with a multi-ethnic character. Chapter 4
introduces Union Square and provides a snapshot of the district's demographics and
business composition together with a list of the main challenges and opportunities the
neighborhood faces. It also includes a summary of the main findings from interviews
conducted with business owners in Union Square. Chapter 5 first discusses the efforts
being undertaken by Union Square Main Street in the context of the lessons from all the
previous chapters. It then finishes by giving the Union Square Main Street organization
specific recommendations on how to leverage the ethnic diversity of the district in
revitalization efforts, and provides some brief concluding remarks.
Urban neighborhoods in the United States have a rich composition of ethnicities within
their population and their business community. Understanding that ethnic business
owners need to be integrated in commercial revitalization efforts is not only important
but is also necessary. Immigrant and ethnic groups continue to grow at a fast rate, and
entrepreneurship continues to be one of the most viable options for their economic
mobility. In addition, diversity in neighborhoods has proven to be an attractive draw to a
larger customer base beyond the residential population surrounding the district.
Understanding that diversity can be an asset rather than a barrier to revitalization is,
therefore, crucial when deciding on strategies and tactics to follow.
The larger question is how can ethnicity be integrated and utilized. Practitioners have
long recognized that actively involving merchants in the planning and implementation of
revitalization efforts is an essential component for success. They have also recognized
that marketing a district is a challenge in the face of growing competition from other
districts and larger commercial centers. There are two case studies I was able to identify
that document how ethnicity has been tied to revitalization strategies, but there is a need
to continue building a 'best practices' list. The academic literature has mostly been
focused on understanding the conditions and opportunities that drive ethnic groups to
establish small businesses. It provides a good foundation for practitioners to understand
the challenges faced by the groups to whom they are trying to reach out. The literature on
organizational design, although not directly tied to revitalization models, provides an
important framework for practitioners to understand the challenges and opportunities that
arise when integrating multi-ethnic constituents into a planning process.
This chapter provides a literature review of the following topics:
-
Commercial revitalization and the Main Street model.
-
Ethnic entrepreneurship.
-
Organizational design.
-
Two case studies that integrate diversity in the revitalization efforts.
Commercial District Revitalization
Commercial district revitalization fundamentally follows a place-based approach to
economic development (Seidman, unpublished). It focuses on improving neighborhood
conditions as a means of improving the well-being of its residents. The strategies of
revitalization include improving the physical aspects of an area together with increasing
the organizational capacity of the stakeholders involved. Ultimately, the focus is on
improving the district. Critics of the place-based approach state that economic
development strategies should be more people-based, and should directly focus on
improving the well-being of the individuals by increasing their access to work
opportunities and capital. Other critics argue that neighborhoods do not constitute
economic entities around which economic development strategies should be tied because
they are too vulnerable to regional forces (Teitz, 1989).
Despite the debate, commercial revitalization strategies have proven to work in many
neighborhoods across the United States. One of the most successful is Main Street, a
district management model within commercial revitalization strategies that is widely
used. Besides providing background on the Main Street model, I will provide a brief
overview of another district management model, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs),
as one of my case studies follows a BID structure.
Main Street Model'
Introduced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) in 1980, the Main
Street model is funded as a public-private partnership and provides a clear framework for
commercial district revitalization. There are currently over 1,600 Main Street districts
across the United States, 19 of which are in the Boston area. The philosophy behind the
Main Street model rests on the idea that successful programs need to approach
revitalization in a comprehensive and incremental manner. In other words, improving a
district involves a series of projects that should build on each other over time.
Main Street focuses on addressing local needs under four broad areas, also called the
Four Point Approach:
1 From
www.mainstreet.org.
-
Organization: Creating the necessary organizational structures that allow for
communication and consensus building amongst the stakeholders that have a
role in the revitalization process including merchants, residents and
government and civic leaders.
-
Promotion: Developing marketing strategies and tactics to attract customers,
potential investors, new businesses and local citizens to the area.
-
Design: Enhancing the physical appearance of the commercial district by
rehabilitating historic buildings, promoting new developments where
appropriate and developing design guidelines.
-
Economic Restructuring: Strengthening existing businesses and attracting
new economic uses to fulfill unmet consumer demands.
Each of these areas is addressed, typically, by a separate committee formed by
volunteers. Because Main Street relies mostly on volunteers, it requires less staff and
financial capacity to be implemented than other district revitalization models do. The
committees work with the Main Street Board of Directors and the Program Director.
The Main Street model is a strategic framework that can be tailored to meet the needs and
conditions of an area. Its focus on promotional activities and physical improvements
ensures revitalization efforts leverage some of the assets found in urban neighborhoods. It
can certainly be adapted to leverage the ethnic character of neighborhoods and
opportunities created by ethnic entrepreneurs. Yet, the model itself does not provide any
guidance on how to do so. In addition, although the Main Street model approaches
business revitalization from a broader perspective through the four point framework, it
does not take a comprehensive approach at the neighborhood level. The model does not
address housing, social or employment issues. It also does not take into account issues of
public safety, a major concern in declining urban neighborhoods (Seidman, 2004).
Business Improvement Districts2
2
From Lawrence 0. Houston, BIDs: Business Improvement Districts.
Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) started in the 1970s as a way of strengthening the
competitive positioning of traditional commercial cores in the face of declining customer
demand. BIDs function within a legally constituted district where property owners pay a
special tax or assessment to cover costs for services or facilities for which the district has
particular needs. Assessments are based on property values and are meant to provide
proportional benefits to the stakeholders involved. Once the BID is approved,
participation is mandatory for all the individuals owning property within the designated
district.
BIDs benefit from having a stable funding base that can be used to plan long-term
projects. In addition, the constant funding stream allows BIDs to hire high quality staff
whose job is to move along revitalization initiatives instead of relying on volunteers. The
activities of the BID are usually defined locally as a result of a planning process. For
example, the model provides an organizational and funding structure, but does not
provide a framework for revitalization strategies presenting both an opportunity and a
challenge. As would be expected, the BID model also does not provide any guidance on
how to best integrate ethnicity into revitalization efforts.
Both the Main Street model and the Business Improvement Districts rely on the support
of their business community to succeed, the former to recruit volunteers and the latter to
gain enough support to approve the assessment. Therefore, the need to engage a diverse
business community that characterizes many of the urban commercial areas found in the
United States becomes essential. Both models are flexible enough to be tailored to utilize
the assets and to meet the needs of a diverse business districts. Yet, what assets and needs
do the ethnic business owners have that can form the basis for revitalization efforts in
multi-ethnic commercial districts? The academic literature on ethnic entrepreneurship
provides some insights into this question.
Ethnic Entrepreneurship
In order to understand how to effectively integrate ethnic entrepreneurs in the
revitalization efforts, it is fundamental to first understand some of the attributes that
define them. Academics have long been studying the reasons immigrants and members of
ethnic groups pursue entrepreneurship. In addition, research studies point to several key
characteristics shared by successful ethnic entrepreneurs that should be acknowledged,
including the role co-ethnics play as customers and employees.
Defining Ethnic Entrepreneurship
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines entrepreneur as "a
person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture." Given this
definition, we could conclude than an ethnic entrepreneur is anyone who is involved in a
business venture and claims an ethnic background or "a set of connections and regular
patterns of interaction among people sharing a common national background or migration
experience." (Waldinger, Aldrich, Ward, 1990) This definition assumes that individuals
will self-identify with an ethnic background. In addition, it concludes that immigrants can
be defined under one ethnicity, an assumption that in many cases does not hold true. A
Cuban person of Chinese descent provides an example that highlights the difficulties in
reaching an agreement on what ethnic entrepreneurs or ethnic economies mean.
The complexities of identifying individuals and groups under an ethnic economy have
been debated in the academic literature for several decades. Bonacich and Modell defined
an ethnic economy as one in which the owners and employees are co-ethnics (1980).
Wilson and Portes conceived the "enclave labor market" model characterized by the
spatial clustering of numerous ethnic businesses and the employment of co-ethnics in
these businesses (1980). Chaganti and Green presented a model in which ethnic
entrepreneurship is defined by the levels of personal involvement of the entrepreneurs in
their ethnic community instead of by their reported ethnicity (2002).
For the purpose of this thesis, I will refer to ethnic entrepreneurs as business owners who
self-identify with an ethnic background. In most cases, these entrepreneurs employ coethnics although some do not employ other individuals. They also do not necessarily
serve a co-ethnic market or provide goods and services connected to their ethnicity. I will
also use the term ethnic entrepreneurs instead of immigrant entrepreneurs as the former
encompasses more groups and is more widely used in the academic literature.
Entrepreneurshipas Entry into Labor Market
Most academics agree that self-employment patterns among different ethnic groups only
make sense in the context of the constraints and opportunities these groups face. It is
generally accepted that immigrants have demonstrated higher rates of entrepreneurship
when compared to U.S. born individuals as an alternative to low-wage employment
(Light 1984). In many cases, self-employment has proven to be an effective avenue for
economic mobility for immigrant and ethnic groups after finding themselves in marginal
economic positions. This is mostly true in the case of immigrants who are skilled but
cannot enter the mainstream labor market due to language barriers or employers'
hesitation to recognize foreign credentials. In many cases, the same skills will give
immigrants a better return through self-employment than through the wage labor market.
As Waldinger, Aldrich and Ward state "blocked mobility is a powerful spur to business
activity." (1990, p.32)
Characteristicsof Successful Ethnic Businesses
As with any business, human and financial resources are two important indicators of how
successful an ethnic business will be. Human resources refer to the owner's education,
work experience, skills and training. Financial resources include the owner's personal
wealth and access to other funds from family, friends and, in some cases, from
organizations, governments, banks and formal capital markets. In their study of the
Cuban ethnic enclave in Miami, Portes and Bach found that the informal ties to other coethnics in the area helped many individuals find capital for their start-up businesses
(1985). Furthermore, these connections helped the newcomers obtain reliable information
about permits, suppliers and important practices to follow when setting up a business in
the context of the area. The unusual combination of human, financial and social capital
seemed to have spurred the strong Cuban enclave economy in Miami.
The industries in which small businesses operate also need to be taken into account.
Industries in which economies of scale are low provide an opportunity for ethnic
entrepreneurs to enter because natives, in general, stay away from them. These are
characterized by long hours, year-round operations, readily available credit to customers
and small volume sales (Waldinger, Aldrich, Ward, 1990). In addition, the technical
barriers are low and provide a larger window of opportunity for immigrants to enter. Yet,
as expected, these industries do not provide high financial returns. A study conducted
about Latino entrepreneurs in Boston concluded that Latino businesses generate very
modest profits and a limited number of jobs due to the nature of the industries they are in.
It concludes that Latino businesses constitute "economic survival strategies rather than
springboards to economic advancement." (Levitt in Halter, 1995)
Co-ethnics as Customers and Employees
Immigrant communities have a special set of needs and preferences that are unique in the
context of their new area. In most cases and particularly when the groups are still small,
native firms do not want to incur the cost of learning how to cater to the specific needs of
these communities. Therefore, it is no surprise that the initial market for ethnic businesses
arises from the ethnic community they belong to. Ethnic entrepreneurs are presented with
an opportunity to fulfill an unmet demand. These needs and preferences then create a
social resource that can be exploited by co-ethnic entrepreneurs or a "protected market
position." (Aldrich, 1984)
Most small ethnic businesses that cater to co-ethnics involve some sort of connection
with the communities' homeland. Generally, the businesses that develop first are tied to
food and culinary products. Businesses that provide cultural products such as
newspapers, books and clothing are also quick to find a niche within their respective
communities. Services specializing on helping immigrants adapt to their new area such as
wire transfer stores, travel agencies, and legal and real estate services are also common
(Waldinger, Aldrich, Ward 1990). Besides filling an unmet demand in the market place,
the success of some of these businesses is also attributed to the desire of fellow coethnics to conduct business in their own language. In many cases, this is important
because they are still in the process of learning English, but in other cases it simply
provides a way to stay connected to their country of origin. In addition, many immigrants
would prefer to interact with someone that understands the issues they face and has the
necessary knowledge to address them. For all these reasons, ethnic businesses that cater
to the tastes and preferences of particular ethnic groups tend to generate a loyal customer
base early on (Bates 1997).
Meeting the unique demands of an ethnic community can act as an initial business
engine. Yet, in most cases, the growth potential for these businesses depends on
expanding their customer base. An early study conducted in 1976 by Aldrich and Reiss of
white, black and Puerto Rican businesses found that if businesses only stay bounded to
their ethnic community their potential for growth is significantly limited. Ethnic enclaves
or very high concentrations of ethnics in an area could be an exception. Practitioners need
to understand that ethnic entrepreneurs may lack the knowledge, skills and access to
capital needed to expand beyond their co-ethnic market, particularly if their employees
are also co-ethnics. The challenge for practitioners then is to devise strategies that will
help these businesses position themselves beyond their niche while still catering to the
needs of the ethnic community they serve.
The success of a business also depends on the quality of workers employed. Securing
hard-working, low-cost and loyal workers directly contributes to the health of a business.
While it is common for native employers to face a shortage of native workers, immigrant
employers seem to more easily find co-ethnics to employ. This is because immigrants
tend to look towards the resources inside their own communities when denied access to
the mainstream labor market. In addition, recent immigrants may simply favor
employment in businesses ran by co-ethnics. It provides them with access to the labor
market and with a familiar space to be in while they get acclimated to their new
environment. Legal immigration status may also be a factor. A study of the Haitian
community concluded that employees were attracted to Haitian businesses because of the
'family-type' of management and the flexibility given by their employers to arrange
schedules and distribute duties (Halter, 1995). In addition, it provides an opportunity for
workers to acquire skills that might later lead them to establish their own businesses.
Practitioners need to understand the important role ethnic businesses play in the
economic advancement of the communities they operate in, and how it relates to a larger
economy at the neighborhood or regional level.
Through entrepreneurship, members of different ethnic groups have found an effective
avenue for economic mobility. Many immigrants turn to self-employment as a response
to blocked opportunities in the mainstream wage market. The businesses they establish
not only tend to serve an ethnic market niche that is not being addressed by the general
market, but they also serve an employer function to other co-ethnics in the community.
This heavy reliance on their co-ethnics as customers and employees may pose a barrier to
getting them involved in commercial revitalization initiatives as their interactions with
individuals outside of their ethnic community is limited. In addition, they might be
reluctant to work within a multi-ethnic organization that includes groups with whom they
have never worked with before and might not necessarily trust. These characteristics,
among others, need to be acknowledged and considered when thinking about how to best
integrate ethnic business owners in the organization overseeing the revitalization efforts.
Organizational Design
Studies in social identity theory have consistently proven that human beings have a
disposition to identify as part of an in-group and to see differentiations between their
group and out-groups. Furthermore, studies have shown that during a process of
evaluation in-group members are considered to be more trustworthy, cooperative and
loyal than out-group members are (Brewer, 1999). In the context of commercial
revitalization, it is then imperative to understand the boundaries that define the
stakeholder groups involved in order to understand the organizational challenges and
opportunities that will arise. For the purpose of this thesis, I will define groups based on
ethnicity on the assumption that a shared history and language tends to have people
identify with each other. In some cases, such as with Latino business owners, there are
important divisions (Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, etc.) within what I will
define as in-group (Latinos) that need to be taken into account.
Although there is no literature written on how to best integrate ethnicity from an
organizational standpoint within the context of commercial revitalization strategies,
several academics have address this issue in a broader context. Gray identified three
factors that influence the success of having different groups work together that provide a
good framework for discussion3(1) The extent to which there is clear communication that the benefits of interorganizational relations outweigh the costs.
(2) The degree to which the appropriate stakeholders are selected to participate.
(3) The impact of contextual influences such as community, history and racial
dynamics.
Communicating the Benefits
People will only get involved in revitalization efforts if the benefits of having them
involved are clearly communicated. Furthermore, they have to realize that the benefits
they derive (e.g. higher property values, more customers) outweigh their costs (e.g. time,
resources). Although this is a simple concept, it is an easy one to forget in the midst of
implementation.
Communication clearly plays a large role. There are several layers of complexity that
arise when dealing with ethnic communities. Most importantly, language differences and
cultural associations can act as barriers to communication. It is obvious why language
might be a problem for non English-speaking business owners. Cultural associations, on
the other hand, are much more complex. Ethnic business owners might view
revitalization initiatives with skepticism, particularly when the government is involved,
based on personal experiences in their country of origin or in the United States that are
not shared with non-ethnic business owners. These issues should be identified and
directly addressed when communicating the goals and objectives of revitalization efforts.
Selection of Participants
3
Barbara Gray, Collaborating: Finding Common Groundfor Multiparty Problems, 1989.
Selection of the "right" participants is a critical factor in determining the future success of
an organization. Within the selection process two important dimensions need to be taken
into account. First, participants should represent a diversity of interests (i.e. stakeholder
groups) and should be diverse in terms of race and socioeconomic characteristics.
Secondly, these participants should have the ability to act as representatives for the
groups for which they speak.
Having a diverse group of participants should no longer be seen as a 'politically-correct'
move. Diverse groups have been shown to be more effective at problem-solving and at
increasing organizational effectiveness. Groups representing different opinions and ways
of looking at challenges have proven to positively impact productivity and creativity in
the private sector (Thomas and Ely, 1996). Teams composed of people with
heterogeneous perspectives have been found to be more effective than people with
homogeneous perspectives because they can access more resources and bring a broader
range of skills to the table (Nemeth and Staw, 1989). Therefore, having a diverse
organization becomes an indicator of future success.
Yet it is not enough to simply select people from diverse groups. The participants
selected also need to be able to represent their respective groups' interests and needs. To
be effective, participants need to have sufficient levels of legitimacy and authority within
both the group they represent and the organizational structure they participate in. They
need to be an effective 'bridge' between the groups involved, a concept I will further
explore in the case studies. Investing in finding and recruiting these individuals is
worthwhile. Individuals with strong constituency ties know where to find resources,
whom to recruit and what tactics to use in order to be successful (Morris, 1984).
Contextual Influences
Contextual influences are probably the hardest to overcome in organizational design due
to their complexity and, frequently, unspoken nature. These include racial and political
dynamics and the historical context of relationships among the groups involved. The
most important issue that comes up in this context is trust.
The absence of trust is a precondition to conflict (Brewer, 1999). In addition, it can be an
indicator of failure in the context of organizational design. Therefore, building trust
amongst the groups involved is essential. Moore defines trust as "a person's capacity to
depend on or place confidence in the truthfulness or accuracy of another's statements or
behavior."4 Since trust issues are typically based on past experiences, the first step
towards addressing the issue is to acknowledge it. From there, trust is usually built
incrementally over time. Some tactics recorded by practitioners that have proven to work
are as simple as: (1) making consistent congruent statements that are clear and do not
contradict previous statements (Creighton, 1972); (2) exhibiting genuine concern to help
other participants reach their objectives (Zartman and Berman, 1982); and (3) placing
oneself in a subservient position in relation to another party so that they incur a minor
risk (Pruitt, 1981).5 In the context of commercial revitalization efforts, it is crucial that
the organization leading the efforts be seen as genuinely interested in incorporating ethnic
constituents and acknowledge the need to build trust and engage in trust building
behaviors.
The literature on organizational design highlights the importance of representation and
provides some answers on how to overcome issues of mistrust and communication
amongst groups. Yet, there is a need to know how some of these strategies and others
have played out in commercial revitalization efforts. Although there is limited literature
on this specific topic, some practitioners have documented case studies that start to shed
some light into the questions raised.
Insights from Case Studies
Christopher W. Moore, The Mediation Process: PracticalStrategiesfor Resolving Conflict, 1996, pp.
177.
5 All the ones mentioned and a longer list of techniques for building trust can be found in Moore's book
cited above, Chapter 7.
4
Fruitvale in Oakland, CA and District del Sol in St. Paul, MN are two case studies that
document how the ethnic diversity of a commercial district was used as an asset in
revitalization efforts. Although neither case goes into great depth, both provide valuable
insights on how to broaden participation and leadership to include the ethnic communities
of these districts. In addition, they demonstrate that creating an image around ethnicity, in
both cases a Latino image, can be a powerful way of attracting a larger customer base and
positioning the neighborhood in a positive light.
FruitvaleMain Street6. Oakland, CA
Fruitvale is a low-income, multi-ethnic neighborhood in Oakland, CA that is
predominantly Latino. The surrounding residential neighborhoods are densely populated,
with more than 47,000 residents within a one-mile radius from the district.
The Main Street program in Fruitvale was born out of a four-year demonstration program
launched in 1996 by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in conjunction with
the Main Street Center. LISC was seeking to apply the Main Street model to beleaguered
urban neighborhoods and chose Fruitvale as one of five focus areas around the country.
The Unity Council, a non-profit community development organization, took the lead in
organizing the revitalization efforts at a local level, and worked together with LISC on
devising the strategies that would be implemented.
The representation of ethnic business owners in the revitalization efforts was addressed
early on. LISC and The Unity Council were interested in building trust and forming
coalitions among people with disparate interests, directly acknowledging the issues that
come up in multi-ethnic neighborhoods where people might not be used to working
together. To this end, the Main Street program conducted extensive one-on-one outreach
to business owners and other stakeholder groups, and was able to attract more than 140
volunteers over the course of four years. The Main Street program also reached out to
ethnic constituents by conducting training sessions in different languages and translating
all materials. The involvement of LISC, a national and well regarded community
6 In LISC's A Road Map to Revitalizing Urban Neighborhood Business Districts,2003.
organization, was incredibly helpful. The Main Street program was able to leverage the
networks LISC had already established in the neighborhood to get a larger and more
representative group of stakeholders involved in the revitalization efforts.
The Main Street program envisioned "ethnically and culturally diverse groups of people
working together, responding to a regional Latino-oriented market." To this end, they
focused on events that leverage the "Latinoness" of the area such as the Day of the Dead.
The annual Mexican holiday is the biggest event in Fruitvale and draws more than 75,000
people from all over the Bay Area. It features altars created by local artists and live
performances by Latin musicians. Merchants record the day the event takes place as the
busiest in the year. The Day of the Dead event is advertised through local radio stations
and newspapers, and has become one of the main ways that people outside of Fruitvale
learn about the area. It has been successful in reinforcing the Latino image of the district
and in drawing new customers to the area.
Fruitvale's effective practices include:
e
Conducting one-on-one outreach to the business owners, and leveraging the
networks already established by LISC.
* Offering materials and training sessions that were translated into Spanish.
* Recognizing the Latino draw the area had as an asset and leveraging it through its
promotional efforts, specifically the Day of the Dead event.
Districtdel Sol Main Street7
District del Sol (District of the Sun) is located in the West Side neighborhood of St. Paul,
an ethnically diverse area that in 2000 was approximately half white, one third Latino and
the rest a mix of Asians and blacks. Of the 45 businesses in the district, a significant
number are owned by Latino business owners and specialize in Mexican food and retail
products. Before the Main Street program was implemented, the district was already a
destination for Latino shoppers and others seeking specialized Latino foods and products.
7 In Karl Seidman's Revitalizing Commercefor American Cities, p. 59-64, 2004.
The Main Street program was established in 1998 as a response to an RFP submitted by
the Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to fund community
development corporations to run commercial revitalization programs in their area. The
Riverview Economic Development Corporation (REDA) was one of the organizations
selected and became responsible for implementing the Main Street program in what
would later become District del Sol.
From an organizational standpoint, REDA focused on consistent one-to-one outreach to
the business owners in the area to get them involved in the revitalization initiatives and to
build a strong volunteer base. In addition, REDA organized several monthly events
including luncheons with speakers, networking breakfasts and after-hours social
gatherings. They utilized these events to reach out to ethnic merchants and to overcome
the cultural barriers that might get in the way of having all the stakeholders work
together. In addition, the events served as an opportunity to get the merchants together
and decide on a common vision for the district.
The Main Street program also focused on changing the image of the
district to reflect a more positive and vibrant area. In early 1999,
REDA launched a public awareness campaign meant to generate
interest in the revitalization efforts. The campaign was created around
asking "The West Side of What" question in an effort to start defining
the district in a different way. In 2000 the Main Street program, with
the help of a marketing consulting firm, renamed the district 'District
del Sol'. The new name clearly leveraged the Hispanic character of the
area and solidified its position as a destination for people interested in
Latino goods and services. The Main Street program also worked at
creating a more positive and attractive image of the district through designing a new logo
and installing banners along the commercial area with bright colors typically associated
with Latin culture.
District del Sol's marketing efforts are also strongly connected with Latino-related
events, specifically the Cinco de Mayo festival. The event, promoted as "Minnesota's
Spiciest Celebration", features a series of activities that celebrate Mexican culture
including a lowrider car show and a salsa eating contest. Over 100,000 people attended in
2004 from all over the city. The success and visibility of the event has helped strengthen
the image of the district and gain the attention of the public and the private sector.
District del Sol's effective practices include:
*
Conducting one-on-one outreach and organizing monthly events around topics of
interests and networking opportunities to get the business owners involved.
" Renaming the district to present it in a more positive light and reinforcing its
image as a Latino destination.
" Leveraging the Latino presence in the promotional efforts and particularly in the
Cinco de Mayo festival.
Conclusion
The review of the literature discussed in this chapter provides valuable insights and
frameworks into the role ethnic diversity should play in the revitalization efforts. The
academic literature on ethnic entrepreneurship helps practitioners understand the reasons
behind the emergence of small businesses and the important role co-ethnics play as
customers and employees. The organizational design literature starts to provide some
specific tools on how to overcome issues of mistrust and communication barriers when
trying to integrate ethnic business owners into the revitalization process. Finally, the two
case studies documented by practitioners provide valuable effective lessons around the
issues of promotion and identity formation. Still, there is a need to look at the issue more
in depth. In the next chapters, I will attempt to build on the list of effective practices and
tools by analyzing the Main Street program in Union Square Somerville and documenting
two more case studies.
The case studies focus on highlighting how the organizations in charge of the
revitalization efforts: (1) ensured diverse representation within the leadership group; (2)
communicated the benefits of the revitalization initiatives to engage ethnic business
owners, fostering trust on the organization and the groups involved; and (3) utilized the
ethnic character of their district to form an image and market it to a wider customer base.
30
The challenges Union Square faces on how to best utilize its rich diversity have been
addressed by other districts beyond District del Sol and Fruitvale. This chapter focuses on
two other cases. The first, Hyde Jackson Square, is a Main Street program in a Latino
neighborhood in Boston. The second, Sunset Park, is a Business Improvement District in
a Brooklyn neighborhood with a large immigrant community. Both cases highlight some
of the challenges Union Square is facing and, in many cases, provide paths Union Square
Main Street could undertake.
The information for the case studies was obtained through interviews with current and
past program Directors and with some of the key founders. The questions were primarily
tied to two research questions:
1. What challenges and opportunities they faced in getting the business owners
organized in the context of their multi-ethnic districts, and what were the
strategies they pursued to broaden participation?
2. How have they successfully leveraged their ethnic diversity to strengthen the
identity of the district and to attract a wider customer base?
Each case study is organized by sections:
-
Business District Background gives an overview of the demographics of the
area and the retail mix of the district.
-
Main Street Program/BID discusses the context in which each program was
formed and the main challenges faced.
-
Organization examines the composition of the Program Board and the
strategies pursued to communicate the benefits of the program and to include
ethnic business owners in the revitalization initiatives.
-
Promotion focuses on understanding the process that was followed to decide
on the identity for the district, and how successful they have been in
leveraging ethnicity in their advertising and promotional efforts.
Case Study 1: Hyde Jackson Square Main Street in Boston, MA
Business District Background
Hyde Jackson Square is a linear business district that runs along Centre Street from
Columbus Avenue to the intersection with Boylston Street and with South Huntington
Avenue. Of its 444,000 square feet of commercial space, about 50% is used by retail and
services businesses while the remaining is mostly used for institutional purposes.8 The
vacancy rate is currently 2%. Most businesses in the retail and services industries are
small independent merchants with an average number of employees per business of five.
There are several large retailers including two grocery stores, Stop & Shop and Hi-Low
Foods, which serve as anchors for the district. The district is rich in ethnic grocery stores
and food markets with about half being Latino operated and owned.
The neighborhood has a rich history of being a diverse neighborhood. In the 1940s, the
area was home to a large immigrant population including Irish, Italian, Jewish, Armenian
and Greek residents together with a native black population. Like in many other
neighborhoods, the 1960s sent Hyde Jackson Square into decline as many white families
moved out to the suburbs. This, in turn, provided an opportunity for new immigrant
families to establish in the neighborhood and change its demographic composition. In
2000, the population within a quarter of a mile of the district was 38% Latino, 35% nonLatino white and 21% black. 9 Although the neighborhood still exudes a strong Latino
presence, particularly in Jackson Square, there are some tangible signs that gentrification
is already taking place.
8 Hyde Jackson Square Business Survey Results. Completed in 2003.
9 2000 Census Data.
The district draws customers from the immediate neighborhoods and the Greater Boston
area. A customer survey completed in 2004 concluded that 60% of the customers come
from the residential neighborhoods surrounding the district while the remaining 40%
come from other Boston neighborhoods. In terms of the ethnicity of the customers, 80%
of the businesses reported having a customer base that is greater than 40% Latino.
Approximately one-third of the employees in the district speak primarily Spanish, onethird primarily speak English and one-third are bi-lingual. Location is an important factor
in the ethnic targeting of businesses. The businesses with a greater than 40% white
clientele are all located within 1 block of the Hyde Square rotary while the businesses
with a higher percentage of black clientele are all located in Jackson Square. The survey
also found that most customers who come from areas outside of the neighborhood go to
the district to shop at its wide variety of ethnic food shops and restaurants.' 0
Main Street Program
Hyde Jackson Square Main Street (HJSMS) was started from the ground up. The area had
been known to have a historically high level of activism, and the case of commercial
revitalization did not prove to be an exception. Prior to the launch of the Main Street
program in 1998, a group of business owners and residents had been working with the
Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Association, a strong CDC in the area, for
years in improving the district. They initially got together around the issue of safety. The
idea to organize under a formal program grew out of feeling they needed to improve the
infrastructure of the area and garner more support from the City in order to achieve their
objectives. In their eyes, Main Street was the next logical step. They were familiar with
the program and believed the incremental and comprehensive approach was the right one
for their district.
One of HJSMS first key steps was to define the area of focus. Hyde Jackson was already
on its way up and had a stable and more affluent residential base. On the other hand,
Jackson Square still faced issues related to economic vitality, trash and safety. This led
the leaders in the area to make a conscious decision to unify the squares along Centre
lo
Hyde Jackson Square Customer Survey Results. Completed 2004.
Street in order to have a larger impact. Since its implementation, the program has
embarked on major projects including storefront renovation, trash control and heavy
promotion among others. A key leader attributed the program's successes to its
orientation towards keeping the stakeholders involved.
Organization
Prior to the creation of HJSMS, key leaders in the area made sure they understood the
needs and priorities of all the groups that had a stake in the district. They decided to
create focus groups around several issues affecting the neighborhood including trash
removal, safety, noise and parking. The focus groups were promoted through flyers,
direct mailings and phone calls. The organizers kept the groups small in size, and created
a space where the sectors that needed to be represented could participate. The focus
groups were open to everyone and were not divided by ethnicity. In fact, the organizers
felt strongly about not creating any differentiation between groups so early in the process.
Anyone interested in the specific issue to be discussed was encouraged to attend.
The focus groups served a variety of purposes. Besides proving a space to assess needs,
they were used to brainstorm ideas of possible solutions and interventions. In addition,
they were used to identify the 'movers and shakers' of the area who, in the future, would
serve an important role in the revitalization efforts. The uniqueness of this approach is
that they identified the leaders in the process of identifying the needs and not the other
way around as it is commonly done. This approach ensured inclusiveness and a wider
representation of stakeholder interests from the start. Although the focus groups were not
organized around ethnicity, they served the purpose of allowing members of different
groups to express pride in their heritage and to feel their needs were being legitimized.
Lastly and most importantly, the groups started building trust amongst the stakeholders
involved by helping them see they were all working towards a common goal. At the end
of the multiple focus groups they ran, the organizers were much better equipped to form
an action-oriented board, create a strong organizational committee and begin the
revitalization of Hyde Jackson Square.
Exhibit 1: Focus groups process that preceded the formation of HJSMS
Understand
Needs
--
Brainstorm
-*
Solutions
Identify
--
'Movers &
Shakers'
Organize
Stakeholders
Source: Interview with one of the Founders
Ensuring Diverse Representationon Board
The HJSMS Board is representative of the area. It has a mix of Latino and non-Latino
business owners, and a strong presence of individuals that both own a business and live in
the neighborhood. Six out of ten Board Members are Latino, and four are business
owners. Since Hyde Jackson Square has a strong Merchant Association, it became clear
from the start that the HJSMS's Board should include members of the association that
were considered leaders in the community.
The recruitment of new members is usually based on personal connections, and interested
individuals are designated to the Board by other members. One strategy that has proven
to be highly successful for HJSMS is to involve a business owner in the Board that can
act as a 'bridge' between the ethnic and non-ethnic communities. In their case, the
organization was able to recruit the owner of a Latino restaurant that is well known in the
neighborhood and serves both Latino and non-Latino customers. The restaurant owner
was able to voice a wider array of interests based on first-hand knowledge, and enjoyed
the credibility and support of the different stakeholder groups involved.
In addition, the Board has strong representation of the organizations and institutions that
have historically been active in the area such as JPNDC and the Urban Edge Housing
Corporation, presenting both an opportunity and a challenge. While the HJSMS Board is
able to draw great lessons from the past civic experience of its members, it sometimes
suffers from having a significant amount of individuals wearing "different hats". Goals
have not necessarily always been aligned creating some tension within the organization.
For example, there was a situation where, due to the involvement of the CDCs in HJSMS
Board, the organization was getting pulled into affordable housing projects that were
clearly outside of its scope and mission.
Still HJSMS's biggest challenge so far has been the retention of board members. As a
result of intense work days and financial limitations to hire more employees, small
business owners tend to be pressed for time. In Hyde Jackson Square, as in most other
districts, the Main Street organization has had a hard time keeping these individuals
actively involved. One way it is currently addressing this problem is by being upfront
about the roles and responsibilities HJSMS Board Members have. It is planning on
sending out a list of key tasks and a short evaluation to future prospective board members
based on what other Main Street programs across the country have done (see Appendix
C).
Communicating Benefits and Engaging Business Owners
One of the roles of any Main Street program is to engage business owners, among other
stakeholder groups, in the implementation of the revitalization plans. Because there was a
strong Merchant Association that was already active in the district, HJSMS was able to
draw from their membership base of mostly Latino business owners.
The challenge was then to reach out to the non-Latino merchants. Many meetings in the
past had been conducted only in Spanish due to the low participation of English speaking
merchants, alienating the few that were interested in volunteering their time. HJSMS
realized the English-speaking merchants had created informal and formal relationships
with other organizations in the area, and decided to tap these networks. The message was
clear: they had to work together to survive and turn around the area. Besides putting up
flyers in English and Spanish and sending out mailings to all the businesses in the district,
they focused on cultivating one-on-one relationships. The head of the Organization
Committee walked up and down the district talking to business owners and encouraging
them to join on a regular basis.
To this day, HJSMS believes one-on-one communication is without a doubt the most
effective tool for recruitment and for building trust. It shows that HJSMS cares enough
about the business owners to take the time and talk to them individually. Even when they
send out mailings, a HJSMS representative follows-up by stopping by the businesses and
asking what they thought about the materials received. Through these outreach initiatives,
HJSMS established itself as the connector between the Latino and the non-Latino
merchants, paving the way for the creation of a common vision.
Still, HJSMS is facing some challenges that have been harder to surpass in terms of
engaging the stakeholders. Not all business owners see the district as a unified corridor,
and cannot see how improving the area would benefit them. For example, when HJSMS
approached restaurant owners about running a joint newspaper advertisement on all the
different dining options in the district, many resisted. Although eventually they agreed to
the joint campaign, the restaurant owners initially saw each other as competitors and
could not envision the long-term benefits of promoting the area as a destination. It has
also been harder to get the merchants that are in a more precarious financial situation to
participate in the program. Although they are the ones that need the most help, it has been
particularly difficult to get them to justify taking time out of their schedule to participate
in HJSMS.
Retention of committee members has also been a problem. One of the current priorities
for HJSMS is to better promote the accomplishments of the organization. They believe
this is crucial in keeping people interested and excited about the organization. The
storefront improvement initiative seems to have filled this role in the past by giving a
tangible and visible sense that things were happening. In the future, the organization
hopes to increase its brand recognition through decals in storefront windows and
sponsorships in community events. HJSMS also runs annual meetings open to all
business owners where the main accomplishments of the organization are presented.
Finally, it is important to note that, unlike many other Main Street programs, HJSMS
members do not pay an annual fee to participate. Although this allows for a low barrier to
entry, it could also lead to lack of ownership and buy-in.
Promotion
HJSMS is proud of the neighborhood's Latino heritage. Its signage shows palm trees and
is painted in bright, tropical colors. Most of the events the organization sponsors have
live salsa and merengue bands as the main attractions. The district's most successful
advertisement was a story in GQ Magazine about how Pedro Martinez, pitcher of the
Boston Rex Sox at the time, frequented restaurants in the district for home-style
Dominican food. HJSMS's mission statement even states that one of its goals is to
preserve the Latino heritage in the area. Undoubtedly, the identity of the district is tied to
Latin culture.
DistrictIdentity and TargetAudience
Leveraging the Latino identity in promoting the district was obvious to key players in
HJSMS. After all, close to 40% of the residents in the surrounding neighborhood were of
Hispanic descent and already represented a significant part of the customer base for the
district. In addition, the Latin boom in early 2000 triggered by stars like Ricky Martin
and Jennifer Lopez made all-things-Latin hip and trendy to mainstream America. HJSMS
decided to pursue a dual marketing strategy catering to two target audiences based on
ethnicity:
This bustling neighborhood offers great music
shops, bodegas and a variety of locally owned
restaurants. Walk around Hyde/Jackson Square
and enjoy the many colorful storefronts. Relax
on comfortable new benches, listen to Irish
music at one of Boston's best pubs, try a Cuban
sub or sip a cup of coffee while picking out a
book by a local author at a local bookstore
cafe.
From HJSMS's website:
http://www.cityofboston.gov/mainstreets/hj.asp
For Latinos, Hyde Jackson Square would
be positioned as "el corazn de la vida
Latina en Boston" (the heart of Latin life
For non-Latinos, Hyde Jackson Square
would be positioned as a thriving multicultural district.
HJSMS's strategy has been successful in utilizing a distinct asset, ethnicity, to better
position the district with its current customer base and with potential customers vis--vis
competing commercial areas. It presents Hyde Jackson Square as a unique destination
because it has a great mix of Latino and non-Latino businesses. The strategy also
inherently recognizes that what each target audience is looking for in the commercial
district might not be exactly the same yet is compatible. To this end, HJSMS has worked
with some merchants in helping them attract different target audiences. In the case of a
Latino restaurant owner, HJSMS helped him understand how blocking the glass
storefront with a refrigerator might be perceived as uninviting to non-Latino customers.
Since then, the restaurant has created a menu in Spanish and English which includes
descriptions of the Central American specialties they produce for those not familiar with
the terms. These small changes have proven to be very successful. The restaurant is now
one of the top destinations for both Latinos and non-Latinos in the area.
Advertising and Events tied to Ethnic Identity
Hyde Jackson Square has received great coverage in magazines with a wide reach such as
GQ and Boston Magazine. The articles in both magazines highlighted the Latino flavor of
the area by following the star pitcher of the Boston Red Sox, Pedro Martinez, to his
favorite spots. The Program Director at the time was very proactive in following up with
media sources that expressed interest in the neighborhood such as in the case of the
Boston Magazine article. She also submitted two press releases to The Boston Globe that
resulted in articles: one on the Caribbean fever for the Red Sox and the other on Hi-Low
Supermarket's role as a destination for the Caribbean community.
As mentioned earlier, HJSMS has also worked to get the restaurants to do joint marketing
in selling the district and running advertisements in local English and Spanish
newspapers. In addition, it has utilized several communication vehicles created by Boston
Main Street. The program Director was recently interviewed in the Main Street show in
public access television. HJSMS also works with the businesses in the district to get
special promotions that are highlighted in the Shopping on Main Streets business
directory.
HJSMS has been very active in planning and sponsoring events. One of its most
successful involvements is to sponsor together with other organizations in the area the
JamaicaPlains World Fair/FeriaMundial (see Appendix D). The large-scale street fair
takes place in September, and in its 16th anniversary in 2004 attracted up to 20,000
attendees from the surrounding neighborhoods and the Greater Boston area. It features
three live music stages representing a wide range of styles including gospel, jazz,
mariachi, funk, salsa, merengue and reggae. The event is promoted city-wide through
radio and print advertising as "the city's most diverse community event." Artisans from
all over the city display their crafts and restaurants sell ethnic foods. Local merchants get
an opportunity to set up a table and display their products. The World Fair/FeriaMundial
has been extremely successful in attracting people from outside the neighborhood to see
what the district has to offer. In addition, it brings people from the neighborhood out to
the street, fostering a sense of community within Hyde Jackson Square.
HJSMS also sponsors events that help foster relationships within the business
community. For the last three years they have taken an active role in planning the Don
Juan Networking Gala, an event started by a local business owner commemorating her
father. The fundraiser event presents an opportunity for business owners to network with
each other in a nice and relaxing setting. Each year a distinguished merchant is selected
and awarded an honor. HJSMS works with the event planners to ensure both Latino and
non-Latino merchants are awarded honors every year.
One important difference between HJSMS and other Main Street programs is that the
promotional efforts have been folded under the Economic Restructuring Committee.
Most of the advertising is managed by the Program Director while the events are
managed by special task forces created for the specific projects.
Lessons and Effective Practices
The HJSMS case points to the following lessons and effective practices:
-
A needs assessment exercise can be incredibly helpful in obtaining buy-in and
building trust among the different stakeholder groups. In the case of HJSMS, the
exercise proved to be successful strategy in identifying leaders across different
communities. In addition, it helped ethnic business owners feel more vested in the
process as their needs were being legitimized.
-
Establishing partnerships with existing networks and associations, including
chambers of commerce, CDCs, merchant associations among others, can help
legitimize the revitalization initiatives and reach out to potential members through
different avenues. HJSMS was able to engage Latino business owners by its
affiliation with the Merchant Association. It was also able to reach out the nonLatino business owners by tapping informal and formal networks they had
established with local CDCs in the area.
-
Ethnic diversity can be an effective way to promote a district and give it a
competitive advantage. Not only was HJSMS able to attract a lot of media
attention due to the Latino character of the district, but it was also able to form an
image that distinguished it from its competitors.
Conclusion
HJSMS has embraced the Latino presence in the district. The organization has been able
to integrate leaders of the Latino and non-Latino community in the revitalization efforts
by giving everyone a voice. The focus groups process proved to be integral in this regard.
In addition, HJSMS has successfully leveraged the Latino presence in the district from a
promotional standpoint. Most of the events and advertising done carries an ethnic
message. Although it has proven to be the right strategy for now, this might change as the
Hyde Jackson Square area becomes increasingly more gentrified.
Case Study 2: Sunset Park 5 " Avenue BID in Brooklyn, NY
Business District Background
The Sunset Park Business Improvement District (BID) extends from 38th Street to
Street along
5 th
6 4 th
Avenue. The long corridor is home to 385 properties and over 500
businesses. Over half of the stores in the district are allocated towards retail uses with
convenience stores and apparel stores being the most prominent.
Most of the stores are
small and have a handful of employees although there are also many larger discount
variety stores. Latino businesses are commonly found along the district representing
about one-third of the total businesses and over 50% of the restaurants. There is also a
marked presence of Asian businesses, particularly Chinese, representing 20% of the
restaurants and food markets. The vacancy rate of 3% is at the lowest level it has been in
years, and is significantly down from the 20-25% level it was at before the BID was
established.
The neighborhood of Sunset Park exemplifies many of the demographic changes that
have taken place in New York City. It was a vibrant neighborhood of working class white
immigrants that radically changed in the 1960s when most of the residents moved to the
outer suburbs or other areas in the City. Sunset Park was left behind as an impoverished
and disinvested neighborhood. The 1965 Immigration Act triggered a new wave of
immigrants from Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean in New York. Many Latinos,
especially Puerto Ricans, and Chinese established themselves in Sunset Park and created
a strong business community. In 2000, 50% of the total population of Sunset Park was
considered foreign born, with 50% of those coming from Asia and 40% coming from
Latin America.
Sunset Park's 8th Avenue is considered to this day to be the "third
Chinatown" of New York City while 5th Avenue is known to be a thriving multi-ethnic
business district. Today as you walk down the BID you hear business owners speak
English, Spanish, Korean, Arabic and Chinese among other languages.
The district mostly draws customers from the dense neighborhoods around it with over
40,000 residents living on blocks adjacent to 5th Avenue.13 Most of the customers walk to
the area although some drive and park their cars in the one-hour metered parking found
along
5 th
Avenue. The BID is also at close proximity to four subways stops on the R line.
Latinos are the largest ethnic group in the surrounding neighborhoods, although Puerto
Ricans are now joined by Mexicans, Central Americans and Dominicans. Asians account
Avenue Business Guide to Shoppers. 2003.
12From 2000 Census based on zip code data (11220).
13Sunset Park BID Annual Report.
115 th
for approximately one-fifth of the Sunset Park population with Chinese being the largest
group. The South Asian population is quickly growing. In addition, there is a small yet
emerging population from Palestine and Yemen, and new Polish and Russian immigrants.
Sunset Park is truly a diverse neighborhood with an evolving immigrant population.
Business Improvement District
The Sunset Park BID was created in 1995 after several failed attempts to get the
merchants to participate and provide voluntary funding for revitalization initiatives. Ten
years ago the area was facing serious challenges. Crime was quickly rising and city
services were diminishing due to a smaller tax base. A group of white residents and
business leaders joined forces with the Fifth Avenue Merchant Association, which was
led by a Latino business owner, to seek a long-term solution to address the decline of the
neighborhood. They decided to propose a BID structure where an official tax assessment
is placed on all property owners. The assessment is collected by New York City's
Department of Finance, and is fully allocated towards business improvement initiatives.
After several months of meetings and outreach efforts, a majority of property owners
voted to approve the proposal. Today, the Sunset Park BID is considered a smaller BID
for New York City operating at an annual fixed budget of $200,000.
It was clear that
5 th
Avenue should be the area of focus as it already was the commercial
spine of the neighborhood. The decision to have the BID run for 26 blocks along the
avenue was based on wanting to include as many businesses as possible in order to have a
larger impact. Their strategy proved to be successful. Small Business Services (SBS) has
renewed the BID's contract twice since its inception citing a noticeable positive impact in
the neighborhood.
The BID provides a wide array of services including trash removal, advocacy for small
businesses, holiday lighting and advertising, but its most successful efforts have been
around safety. Besides hiring additional security services to look after the district, the
BID launched the Safe Heaven Program.Participating businesses placed a small decal on
their storefront indicating they were a safe place for people feeling in danger, and were
instructed on procedures to follow in the event of a criminal activity. The BID has also
been successful in raising additional funding from elected officials for streetscape
improvements. It launched the ROSE program (Revitalize our Shopping Environment)
where the BID reimburses qualifying merchants 20% or up to $2,000 per streetscape
improvement project. Some of their main challenges continue to be graffiti removal and
illegal vending on the streets.
Organization
In the planning stages that led to the formation of the organization, the group proposing
the BID set out to understand the needs of the stakeholder groups in the area. In 1994,
they distributed surveys to all the business owners, property owners and residents in the
district, and received a 10% response rate. The results of the surveys were used to
Table 1:
Key Findings Needs Assessment Survey
Needs and Focus Areas
% of
respondents
Police Officers
Crime against businesses
High taxes
Lack of parking
Insufficient street lighting
87%
75%
62%
56%
56%
compose a needs assessments exercise
which played an important role in
in garnering interest in the
future structure of the organization.
Most importantly, it demonstrated there
was a strong reason stakeholders needed
to organize and get behind the revitalization initiatives: crime. As highlighted in Table 1,
out of the top six focus areas identified, three were related to crime prevention. Just like
Hyde Jackson Square Main Street, the creation of the Sunset Park BID was originally
positioned around the issue of safety.
Getting the stakeholders in the area involved was not an easy task. Since in order to start
the BID a majority of property owners had to approve the plan, the organizing team had
to conduct constant outreach to garner support for the initiative. Getting support from the
ethnic business owners proved to be difficult, particularly with the Chinese.
Communicating what the program entailed and wanted to accomplish was hard due to
language barriers and skepticism towards institutionalized organizations. The organizers
set out to talk to as many people as they could one-on-one, and although they were not
able to get a high percentage of ethnic stakeholders to participate on the final voting
decision, the BID was still approved.
Ensuring Diverse Representation on the Board
The BID's Board of Directors is headed by an Executive Board composed of seven
volunteer members. They are all property owners, with half being residents and the other
half being business owners. There is no formal recruitment or election process for the
Board Members. In addition, the BID's Board of Directors is composed of volunteers and
key civic and government officials divided by stakeholder group. The organizational
structure, mandated by law, ensures representation across interest groups by grouping
each stakeholder group in the different classes outlined below.
Table 2: Sunset ParkBID Board of Directorsas of 2004 Annual Report
Board
Executive Board
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
Class E
Stakeholder Group
Property and Business Owners, Residents
Property Owners
Commercial Tenants
Residents
Government Officials
Non-voting Members
Num. Members
7
10
2
1
4
8
(Senators, Police Officials, Congressmen/women)
There are currently three Latino members within the Executive Committee, but no
representation of other ethnic groups. Due in great part to the early efforts of the planning
group, the BID has been successful in recruiting Latino members to the Board. Latinos
were represented in the process from the start, as one of the main organizers in the
planning group was a Latino business owner and held a leadership position in the
Merchant Association. When the planning group went door to door to build interest in the
BID initiative, he helped legitimize the proposal to the Latino community and cross any
language barriers that might have impeded communication. Together with the rest of the
planning group, he was successful in recruiting both Latino and non-Latino members to
the Board and helped set a precedent for the involvement of future Latino stakeholders,
ensuring the Sunset Park BID Board was more representative of the demographics in the
area.
Nevertheless, Sunset Park has not been as successful in getting individuals from other
ethnic groups to take leadership positions. Currently there is one person of Indian or
Pakistani descent on the Board. In the past, there have been several Asian members but at
the present there are none. Language barriers seem to be the biggest problem. One
strategy the organization has pursued is reaching out to other formal organizations in the
area that represent certain ethnic communities in order to gain better insights into the
needs and concerns of the groups. For example, the BID works closely with the Brooklyn
Chinese American Association which, in turn, is working on starting a BID on
8 th
Avenue in Sunset Park. The BIDs communicate on a regular basis and have participated
in events together. Still, it is unclear what impact this has had on getting more Chinese
business owners involved in the 5th Avenue BID.
Communicating Benefits and EngagingBusiness Owners
Before the BID was started, the Sunset Park business community was organized under an
association that had few active members. Business owners did not participate because
they simply did not want to pay the membership fees. The BID structure directly
addressed this issue. As a direct tax assessment on property values mandated by the City
of New York, all individuals owning property within the designated district have to pay a
certain percentage of money that goes towards the improvement of the area. This helps
ensure diverse and fair financial representation. Merchants owning property in the district
have demonstrated an interest in the revitalization initiatives because they want to ensure
their money is being well spent. Still, the BID has encountered some barriers in getting
the businesses at the ends of the district to be actively involved in shaping the agenda and
implementing plans. Their current challenge is also geographically focused.
The BID has had to apply basic communication and outreach strategies to get the
businesses to take an active role in the revitalization process and understand the
importance of the initiatives. In addition, it had to overcome the reluctance to pay for
additional services. The BID's approach was simple yet incredibly effective. It focused
on a message that cut across all groups and that was simple for all to understand:
economics. The business owners would be presented the following scenario: "Would you
trade $.05 for $20? For every $.05, we can provide you with $20 worth of advertisement,
street and sidewalk cleaning, private security and many other services." This message
was communicated through flyers, newsletters and one-on-one meetings. Quantifying the
value in services the businesses would get in return for their investment proved to be
successful in obtaining their buy-in.
To directly address the ethnic business owners, the BID translated all its materials in
Spanish for the first few years. Latinos, at that point, were by far the largest ethnic group
in the district. Besides aiding communication, this effort showed the Latino business
owners that the BID cared enough about them to address them in their native tongue.
Unfortunately, once the district became more diverse the materials we solely distributed
in English. The decision was made due to budget constraints and was based on the feeling
that if the BID translated the materials in one or a couple of languages but not all the ones
represented in the district, it would alienate certain pockets within the community.
Currently, the BID is focused on getting merchants excited about the initiatives being
implemented. It runs yearly surveys were business owners get an opportunity to rate the
job being done and to express their needs. The BID's goals for the year are, to a great
extent, determined by the results of the surveys. The surveys are distributed by mail and
are only in English. The last one was conducted in 2004 and had a 10% response rate (see
Appendix E). From the questions asked, it is not possible to determine if ethnic business
owners participated and which groups had more representation. Although language
barriers should be taken into account, the surveys at least give the business owners a
space to express their opinions and concerns if they wish to do so. They also show a good
faith effort from the BID to address the issues of the business community as a whole.
The BID also helps businesses by running seminars and keeping them informed.
Recognizing the high number of new businesses in the area, in 2000 the BID created a
guide for new merchants that provides important phone numbers and useful information
on the many initiatives taking place in the district. The organization has tried to act as a
resource center for merchants, particularly immigrant business owners, to help them
understand the regulations they must follow and the resources available to them. For
example, the BID partnered with ACCION U.S. to run credit seminars and provide
information on loan opportunities to the businesses in the area. Although only three
businesses were able to take full advantage of the opportunity resulting in a loan, the
seminars were relatively well attended. The BID also publishes 5 Avenue Business
News, a newsletter providing important information about the district and highlighting the
accomplishments of the organization. The newsletters are hand delivered to all the
businesses and mailed to the property owners. In addition, the BID changed its annual
accomplishments meeting to a breakfast meeting and successfully increased attendance.
All these initiatives have helped the BID get merchants involved and vested in the
revitalization initiatives. But as with other business districts, the most effective strategy to
get the business owners involved has proven to be one-to-one outreach. Lack of time is
the number one reason merchants give when asked why they are not more actively
involved. The Director, therefore, allocates significant amount of time to walk the district
and to promote the BID's efforts by talking directly to the merchants.
Promotion
The BID has not had a problem attracting media attention. Its initiatives have been
regularly covered in the New York Times, Crains New York, The Daily News and
Brooklyn Eagle among others. The amount of coverage received is due, to a great extent,
to the BID's proactive efforts to put out press releases about its accomplishments. In
addition, the BID negotiated a deal to have a weekly column in the local newspaper,
Sunset News. It primarily uses this space to provide news of importance to the business
and residential communities. Through the press coverage received and the events it puts
together, the BID has been successful in redefining the image of the district in a more
positive light.
DistrictIdentity and Target Audience
The identity of the Sunset Park district was born out of a concern from residents and
business owners that if they did not define themselves the media would. At that point in
time and before the BID, Sunset Park was fraught with crime. The media had widely
covered the frequent crimes that were taking place in the area, and people started
associating Sunset Park with gang related activities. The BID worked with stakeholders
to come together and leverage the assets of the community to paint a more positive
picture. The media coverage turned around. Headlines such as 'Immigrants Again Renew
A neighborhood where people of
diverse backgrounds not only live
together, but enjoy each other!
Sunset Park' and 'Sunset Park Bidding on a
Renaissance' started to appear in local
newspapers.
BID Guide to New Businesses
Besides tying diversity to its image, the BID
recognized the significance of the district's ethnic customers. The 5th Avenue district is
located in a highly dense area with over 40,000 residents within walking distance. The
BID understood that their retail mix would not set them apart from other similar
commercial districts. What was unique about Sunset Park was that that within the district
you can shop at Rong Hua Gift Shop, Vamos Pa' Tabasco and Ike's PartyStore.
Similarly, the BID recognized that they already had a strong customer base that reflected
the diversity of the businesses. Since then, it has focused on the existing customer base
within the neighborhood, and has launched many promotions and events to get them to
shop more at the district.
Advertising and Events tied to Ethnicity
Events and positive press coverage are two ways in which the BID successfully promotes
itself as a diverse commercial district. An article published in the New York Times Metro
Section in 1996 titled 'A Main Street Fights to Keep Local Flavor' introduces the
neighborhood as "Fuzzy arches of red, white and green garlands graced Fifth Avenue, a
street whose name evokes images of packed sidewalks and stores. Tony? You bet. He's
probably in there somewhere. Or Sean, Juan or Chan."
4
The play on names clearly
signifies the incredible diversity of the area, an aspect of the district the community
overall considers to be an asset.
The BID also runs several events, but one of their largest is the Paradeof Flags. This
event started before the BID as an effort to create a better image for the district. All the
flags represented within the district are paraded by local children. Last year
approximately fifty flags were walked down 5th Avenue. The festival has proven to be a
great event to foster a sense of community and to show pride in the diversity of the area.
In addition, it attracts a larger audience with people coming from several New York City
boroughs. For the last seven years, the BID has also put together a street festival in
September that closes off fifteen blocks along
5 th
Avenue for vendors and entertainment.
The festival also acts as a fundraiser. Outside vendors are invited to participate after
paying a flat fee while all BID members only get charge 50% of the fee. The BID
calculates that last year over 75,000 people attended.
Finally, other promotional efforts that are not necessarily tied to ethnicity yet are
important include the
5 th Avenue
Shopping Guide. It is distributed to customers in the
area and to anyone interested in Sunset Park by the Brooklyn Tourism Office. Over 5,000
copies were distributed in its last version. The BID also works with businesses in
providing special promotions such as customer discounts on special items or during a
designated period of time. Lastly, the organization created nine self guided tours that
focus on special aspects of Sunset Park's history and present.
Lessons and Effective Practices
The Sunset Park BID case points to the following lessons and effective practices:
"
Organizing around a common cause is a powerful tool to get stakeholders
involved and excited about the revitalization efforts. In Sunset Park, crime and
" David Gonzalez. Metro Section, New York Times. December 14,
1996.
safety issues proved to be important causes for people to work together, and
helped the BID garner support in the planning stages.
-
Individuals that act as 'bridges' between communities can help break ground
when dealing with multi-ethnic communities. The Sunset Park BID greatly
benefited from having a Latino business owner take an active role during the
planning stages. Besides being able to provide legitimacy to the newly formed
organization among the Latino community, he was able to communicate with
business owners in Spanish and surpass language barriers in one-to-one meetings.
-
Regular outreach and two-way communication fosters buy-in and support from
the business community. Besides trying to reach out to business owners one-onone, the BID has created a two-way communication process through surveys that
helps determine the goals for the year and gives the stakeholders a neutral space
to voice their concerns and needs.
-
Ethnic diversity can attract media attention if used effectively. The BID benefited
from free promotion through a substantial amount of articles on the district and on
how stakeholders were working together across ethnic lines to improve the area.
The Director played an important role in ensuring the press was constantly aware
of the BID's activities through releases and other public relations efforts.
Conclusion
The Sunset Park BID has the difficult task of representing an area with a wide-array of
ethnicities and languages. Although it benefits from having all the merchants participate
by law, the BID still needs to garner more support for the revitalization initiatives from
the ethnic business owners. The organization has been able to integrate Latinos into
leadership positions, but needs to have representation of the other ethnicities found along
the district. Surveys assessing the needs and priorities together with direct contact with
business owners in their stores are some of the outreach efforts that have worked best.
From a promotional standpoint, the BID has been able to obtain a lot of attention by
positioning itself as an immigrant business community and having events that celebrate
the ethnic diversity of the area. Moving forward, the BID will have to continue to
implement the strategies that have worked so far and devise new ones to deal with the
demographic changes that are constantly taking place in the neighborhood.
The challenges faced by commercial districts such as Sunset Park and Hyde Jackson
Square are not uncommon. Commercial districts embarking on revitalization efforts
constantly encounter similar issues that arise when dealing with ethnically diverse areas.
Union Square is one of those districts.
Union Square in Somerville, MA has a long history of being an immigrant entry portal.
Since the nineteenth century, waves of people from Europe, Asia, Latin America and the
Caribbean have settled in the area looking for better housing and work opportunities.
Today Union Square has a strong multi-ethnic and multi-lingual community. The
languages spoken by business owners and residents include English, Portuguese, HaitianCreole, Spanish, Hindi and several Asian languages. In February 2005, Union Square
Main Street officially launched with the goal of improving the livability and vitality of
the commercial district. The organization is currently in the process of finalizing their
vision and gaining support from the different stakeholder groups. Before providing
recommendations on how to best utilize the district's rich ethnic composition, it is
fundamental to get a better sense of Union Square as a place.
This chapter provides a snapshot of Union Square, including:
-
History of the neighborhood.
-
Demographics of the area.
-
Retail mix and ethnic composition of the commercial district.
-
Results from interviews with business owners.
-
Competitive environment.
-
Main challenges and opportunities.
History
Union Square is Somerville's oldest commercial district, and a historic crossroads where
major city arterials connect. It is home to the hill where General George Washington and
his Continental Army troops raised the Great Union flag in 1776. Union Square gained
additional importance in the 1800s when it became a gateway to deliver goods into
Boston via bridges and ferries. At the turn of the century and due in part to the
construction of the railroad at close proximity, it gained status as a vibrant commercial
area. Masonic Hall, its first commercial block constructed in 1869, inspired an era of
high-style architecture in Somerville and surrounding towns.
At its peak in the early to mid twentieth century, the Square was filled with commercial
activity and was serviced by electric streetcars and trolleys. Yet with the adoption of the
car as the main mode of transport, Union Square began to decline as consumers shifted
their shopping activities to other competing locations. The decline was later augmented
by the lack of rapid transit service connectivity and the strong competition it faced from
similar neighborhood commercial centers such as Porter Square, Central Square, Davis
Square and Harvard Square.
Map 1: Union Square Main Street Boundaries
Area of Study
in 0
For the purpose of this thesis, I
'7
/
-
will focus on Union Square's
Business
Central
District
(CBD). The CBD runs along
Somerville
Washington
Avenue
Street
and
between
Prospect Street and Webster
Avenue
Union
as defined by the
Square Main
program (see Map 1).
Streets
LA
Demographics
The commercial core of Union Square is bounded by dense residential neighborhoods.
This is a great asset to any commercial district as it provides a nearby customer base
within walking distance for convenience shopping. For the purposes of this analysis, I
have divided the customer market in two:
-
The immediate Union Square area' 5 found along the Central Business District.
= The Primary Market area16 designated by drawing a circle of 0.5 miles radii
from the center of Union Square at the intersection of Webster Avenue,
Washington Street and Somerville Avenue.
Map 2: Union Square'sPrimaryMarket Area
The population of the Union Square area (8,894) is ethnically and racially diverse,
although at a lower percentage than the communities of Hyde Jackson Square and Sunset
Park. As highlighted in Table 3, in Union Square 10.8% of the residents identify as
Latino, 6.9% as black, 6.6% as Asian and 8.4% as other. The neighborhoods found along
the Central Business District are slightly more diverse than the other ones included in the
Primary Market Area, where almost 80% of the residents identify as white as opposed to
72.5% in the Union Square area.
15 The
following six block groups intersect at the Union Square area (25017) 3512 001; 3212 002; 3513
001; 3513 002; 3513 003; and 3515 002.
16 The Primary Market area includes the Union Square area mentioned above and encompasses three census
tracts: 3512; 3513; and 3515.
Table 3: Racial and Latino Composition of Union Square and PrimaryMarket area
Union Square Area
I Primary Market Area
Population claiming ONE
race
White
Black or African American
8,425
94.7'
# of people
14,135
%of total
95.2%
6,447
615
72.5'
6.99
11,201
847
79.2%
6.0%
American Indian or Alaska
Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander
Other
Population claiming TWO
or MORE races
Hispanic or Latino
Non-Hispanic or Latino
TOTAL POPULATION
Source: 2000 US Census
25
.397c
38
2.7%
590
4
6.69
<.1,,
1,175
16
8.3%
0.1%
744
469
8.49
5.3c,
876
700
6.2%
4.7%
1,286
13,567
14,853
8.7%
93.1%
100.0%
# of
people
10.8'
89.2,
100.0
959
7,935
8,894
Union Square continues to be a
immigrant
portal for pota
frimigan communities
omuntis
and has a high concentration of
esdnt sEntered
no-atv
non-native residents as
highlighted in Table 4. Of the
% of t<
Table 4: Union Square's Foreign Born Population"
Total population: 8,415
# of people
Foreign Born Population
1990 to March 2000
2,749
1,351
935
total population in Union Square,
Europe
Asia
Africa
863
101
34.0%
31.4%
3.7%
32.5% claim they are foreign
Nothn America
42
1.%
born. Furthermore, 16% are
%of total
32.5%
16.0%
Sreoudrce: 2000 US Census
recent immigrants to the U.S.
having only entered the country in the last decade. Most of these immigrants come from
Ireland, Brazil, Portugal and several Asian countries. The presence of the recently arrived
and more established immigrant groups is directly tied to the neighborhood's economy as
it helps fuel many of the ethnic and non-ethnic businesses found along the district.
The median household income in the Union Square area is below $40,000, notably lower
than in the City of Somerville ($46,315) and than in the City of Cambridge ($47,979).
17 I had to exclude two block groups from this data due to problems reporting this type of detail by block
group in census.gov. Therefore, there are 479 people unaccounted for in this set of data.
Within the Primary Market area, the median household income and the percentage of
families living under the poverty level fluctuates by census tract. In the census tract with
the largest population (#3512), the median household income is $48,452 and the
percentage of people living under poverty is 5.6%. On the other hand, the adjoining
census tract (#3513) has a median household income of $43,393 and a 17.9% percent of
people living under the poverty level. While the latter tract has overall a higher
population of people claiming white as their race, it also has a higher percentage of
people claiming 'other race' and Latino under their identity, mostly highlighting the
presence of the Brazilian community.
Business District Composition
As with the demographics analysis, it is essential to understand the retail mix and ethnic
composition of the businesses in Union Square to determine appropriate commercial
revitalization strategies for the area. All the information included in this section is from a
business inventory analysis I prepared based on field observations, data from the
Somerville Assessors Office and several interviews with business owners (see Appendix
B). 18
Retail and Services Mix
The CBD of Union Square has over 400,000 square feet of office and retail space that are
currently being utilized by 125 establishments. A great majority of the commercial
buildings are one to two stories high, and most of the 30,000 square feet identified as
vacant space are located on upper floors. Overall, Union Square has a healthy mix of
businesses and a sizable retail component. The key findings from the business inventory
are summarized in Table 5 and are highlighted below.
The public administration buildings occupy the highest amount of square feet in the area
although they only represent 2.4% of the total businesses accounted for. Not surprisingly,
18Square footage for the business inventory was determined by the following two-step process: first
obtaining assessors data on the building's square footage, and secondly walking each storefront to decide
what percentage of the total building's square footage went to each business. The complete business
inventory and more information on the methodology is detailed in Appendix B.
the City of Somerville is the Square's largest employer.19 Professional services are both
high in terms of number of establishments (16.8% of total) and square footage (15.3% of
total). Medical and dental offices occupy almost half of the total square footage allocated
towards professional services. Personal services, on the other hand, represent 18.4% of
the total businesses yet only 6.6% of the total square footage. This is mostly due to the
nature of the most commonly found personal service, hair and nail salons, as small
establishments. It is important to note that while these types of services meet the needs of
the district's customer base, particularly the immigrant population, hair and nail salons
are much more common in Union Square than in other similar neighborhood commercial
districts.
Food based services or retail stores are prominent in the district. Combined they represent
30% of the total establishments and the total square footage in the district. The presence
of restaurants in particularly strong, representing over 60% in the food service and
entertainment category. Apparel stores are the most prevalent within the other retail
category, representing 33.3% of the total businesses and 23.8% of the total square
footage. Auto related establishments are also common and take up 9.6% of the total
square footage. 2 Most of these businesses occupy a single story building and utilize a
large portion of the lot for outdoor displays, negatively impacting the visual appeal of the
Square. Finally, financial services establishments represent 8%of the total businesses in
the area, with insurance companies occupying half of the total square footage within the
category.
19 As noted in the Union Square Master Plan.
The percentage of auto related services in only half of that reported in the Union Square
NRSA due to a
difference in the boundaries used for the business inventory. I focused on the Central Business District area
where auto related uses represent 9.6% of the total square footage.
20
Table 5: Business Inventor Summar Table
Source: Assessors Data, Field Research
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Bank
Insurance
Wire Transfer, Lottery
FOOD AND BEVERAGES
Convenience Store
Specialty/Wholesale/Bakery
Supermarket
Liquor Store
FOOD SERVICE/ ENTERTAINMENT
Restaurant
Pizza, Fast Food
Bar, Lounge
OTHER RETAIL
Apparel
Other
Electrical and Appliances
Home
Books, Music and Videos
Flowers and Plants
Hobby/Special Interest
Jewelry
Drugs, Health and Beauty
PERSONAL SERVICES
Hair, Nail Salons
Cleaners, Laundry
Travel Agent
Tailor, Shoe Repair
Instruction (martial arts, languages)
Printing, Publishing
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Medical, Dental
Accounting, Legal
Design, Artist
Social Service Provider
Other Professional Services
AUTO RELATED
Vehicle Sales
Gas, Motor Oil
Vehicle Maintenance, Repair
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
8
2
4
4
15
7
6
1
1
23
14
4
5
21
7
2
2
3
3
1
2
1
0
23
13
2
2
1
3
2
21
7
3
4
3
4
9
2
1
6
3
8.0%
20.0%
40.0%
40.0%
12.0%
46.7%
40.0%
6.7%
6.7%
18.4%
60.9%
17.4%
21.7%
16.8%
33.3%
9.5%
9.5%
14.3%
14.3%
4.8%
9.5%
4.8%
0.0%
18.4%
48.1%
7.4%
7.4%
3.7%
11.1%
7.4%
16.8%
25.9%
11.1%
14.8%
11.1%
14.8%
7.2%
22.2%
11.1%
66.7%
2.4%
27,446
5,829
13,725
7,892
76,586
15,517
10,739
46,278
4,052
48,215
31,519
6,164
10,532
34,649
8,232
1,582
1,894
8,842
3,188
8,200
1,889
822
27,023
14,480
2,050
2,140
600
5,568
2,185
62,240
30,118
5,524
13,514
1,062
12,022
39,220
16,004
6,388
16,828
92,534
6.7%
21.2%
50.0%
28.8%
18.8%
20.3%
14.0%
60.4%
5.3%
11.8%
65.4%
12.8%
21.8%
8.5%
23.8%
4.6%
5.5%
25.5%
9.2%
23.7%
5.5%
2.4%
0.0%
6.6%
41.5%
5.9%
6.1%
1.7%
15.9%
6.3%
15.3%
36.8%
6.8%
16.5%
1.3%
14.7%
9.6%
40.8%
16.3%
42.9%
22.7%
TOTAL
125
100.0%
407,913
100.0%
Although the Square is rich in ethnic restaurants that add to the flavor of the area, it does
not have several food store types that are typically found in similar neighborhood districts
such as ice cream shops. The district is also lacking a pharmacy and more apparel and
general merchandise stores, a clear disadvantage relative to competing neighborhood
commercial districts. Union Square is close to Target and T.J. Wright but these two stores
are considered to be outside of the district's boundaries. In addition, besides Market
Basket, the Square lacks other strong anchors found in nearby squares such as Porter,
Harvard and Kendall.
Exhibit 2: Ethnic Businesses in Union Sauare
Distribution of Ethnic
Ethnic Businesses21
Businesses In Union Square
There are 55 ethnic businesses in
in Restaurants
* Retail
Union Square composing 44% of
5% 4%
the total businesses in the area.
0 Food and Beverage
Store
0 Hair/Nail
Salons
Together they represent over
100,000 square feet or 25% of
* Wire transfer and
Travel
the district's total square feet. As
* Real Estate, Insurance
and Medical
is evident through the data,
* Bars
ethnic businesses are smaller in
E Music/Book/Video
size than non-ethnic businesses.
Source: Field Research
* Other
Table 6: Ethnicities representedin Union Sq.
:Edadty
5 TotaV
Asian
8
14.5%
25,161
24.9%
Exhibit 2 highlights that most are
Brazilian
26
Haitian
2
Indian
3
Irish
4
Italian
2
Latino
5
Multiple
1
Portuguese
4
55
TOTAL
Source: FieldResearch
stores and restaurants. In fact, all
21 Ethnic
47.3%
3.6%
5.5%
7.3%
3.6%
9.1%
1.8%
7.3%
100%
36,003
1,763
2,801
7,900
10,201
6,907
1,879
8,485
101,100
35.6%
1.7%
2.8%
7.8%
10.1%
6.8%
1.9%
8.4%
100%
clustered around retail stores, food
fourteen restaurants in the district
are affiliated with a specific
ethnicity. Hair and nail salons, wire
transfer service shops and apparel
stores catering to an ethnic
population are also very common.
businesses were defined based on the customer markets they serve through field research and/or
the ethnicity of the business owner(s) as self-identified during one-on-one interviews.
As highlighted in Table 6, there are over eight ethnicities in Union Square, with Latinos
and Asians representing a wide array of ethnic groups. Of the total 55 ethnic businesses
accounted for in the inventory, 26 or 47% are Brazilian. Most of these businesses either
have a Brazilian name (in either Portuguese or English) or display a Brazilian flag on
their storefronts. Asians are the second most represented ethnic group within the
business district. Due to the nature of their businesses- food stores and restaurants- they
also represent a large percentage of square feet.
CustomerMarkets Served
Union Square serves for the most part residents of the surrounding neighborhoods.
The
district also serves local day-time workers that are mostly concentrated in government
and not-for-profit office space. As noted in the Union Square Master Plan, these worker
segments tend to generate less economic activity than market-rate office workers do.
The ethnic businesses mostly serve local co-ethnics with a few, such as Solacao de
Carnes and Reliable Market, attracting an ethnic clientele from the Greater Boston area.
Both these businesses together with the few other ones that have a regional draw,
including Riverside Kawaski and Elegant Furniture, have customers come into the district
to shop at their specific store and leave. 23 One of the main challenges facing the
revitalization efforts will be to understand how to leverage the traffic coming to the
businesses that currently attract a larger customer base. In addition, Union Square might
also expand its market by capturing some of the pass-through traffic the area currently
gets and give these potential consumers a reason to stop and shop at the district. A traffic
study conducted by the City of Somerville concludes that a heavy flow of traffic passes
by Union Square on a daily basis, representing a potential customer market that is
virtually untapped.
Finding included in the Union Square Master Plan and confirmed through interviews with fifteen
business owners conducted in Union Square.
2 As noted in the Union Square Master Plan Appendix.
22
Interviews with Business Owners
In order to understand the challenges and opportunities USMS faces within the business
community, I conducted interviews with fifteen (12% of total) merchants in the
commercial district. The interviewees were mostly chosen at random by walking into
different businesses and asking the owners if they could offer their time to be
interviewed. I tried to cover most of the ethnic business groups represented in Union
Square and all the geographic areas found along the CBD. Five of the business owners
interviewed are considered non-ethnic while the remaining ten self-identified with one or
more of the ethnic groups found along the district. Exhibit 3 provides the distribution of
the interviewees by ethnicity while Exhibit 4 provides the distribution by business type.
Exhibit 3
Source: Field Research
Distribution of Interviewees by Ethnicity
Exhibit 4
Source: Field Research
Distribution of Interviewees
by Business Type
7%
a Asian
7%
* Bar
7%
20%
o%Convenience Store
o Irish
7%
0 Italian
33%
7%
13%
%
13%
0 Latino
a Non-ethnic
ePortuguese
0 Auto Related
13%
27%
0 Financial Services
* Food/Beverage
Store
t Restaurant/Caf6
* Retail
All the interviews were conducted in person, and the questions were related to the
following topics:
" Interviewees' business and customers.
= Opportunities and challenges in Union Square.
= Promoting their business and the district.
-
Organizational networks they belong to.
-
Union Square Main Street.
The entire questionnaire is included as Appendix F. Following is a summary of the main
findings.
Business and Customers
The businesses interviewed tend to be small, having two to five employees. Many of the
ethnic businesses primarily employ family members or co-ethnics. The tenure of time
they have had a business in Union Square ranges from 32 years to four months with most
having been there for more than five years. Of the sample, seven rent their commercial
space and the remaining eight own theirs. The ones who own their commercial space tend
to be more tenured and, with the exception of three, fall into the non-ethnic category.
Besides being business owners, 25% also reside in the immediate Union Square area.
Ten of the business owners interviewed indicated that they primarily serve a local
clientele. Walking is the number one mode of transportation their customers use to reach
their establishments. A few notable exceptions include a Brazilian meat market that gets
1,3000 customers weekly, of which 50% come from outside of the neighborhood. The
owners of the bars and restaurants interviewed also noted they get a sizable number of
clients from nearby areas such as Boston and Cambridge. An auto-related business gets
an even larger draw from areas as much as 20 miles away from the Square.
Twelve mentioned the ethnic composition of their clients is diverse. As would be
expected, the ethnic businesses have a much larger ethnic clientele than the non-ethnic
businesses and seem to be specialized within their communities. Yet there are some
ethnic businesses that cross-over to other ethnicities beyond their own. For example,
besides selling products from Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, the owner of a
Latino food market ensures the shop has a wide array of products from Brazil and Haiti to
also serve those communities.
Union Square Challenges and Opportunities
Overall, the more tenured business owners interviewed felt Union Square has improved
in the last five years. Five mentioned the area is cleaner and safer now than it used to be.
Approximately half mentioned that the area has become more diverse and that Brazilians
are now the largest immigrant group in the Square. Three also noted the socio-economic
composition of the neighborhood is moving away from its working-class roots to a more
gentrified and affluent residential base. Five business owners mentioned that rents have
gone up although none provided specific information to quantify the increase.
When asked about the opportunities they saw in the area, 14 of the 15 interviewed
mentioned the potential to extend the Green Line to Union Square as the most important.
The topic of increased public transit accessibility to the area cut across any differences
based on tenure, geography or ethnicity. Other opportunities mentioned included the
closeness of the area to downtown Boston and the heavy flow of traffic that is already
passing by the Square. Nine mentioned parking was their number one challenge. Parking
was mostly mentioned by the businesses along Somerville Avenue and Bow Street, and
seems to be more of a geographic issue than an ethnic issue. Pedestrian safety was also
mentioned by three businesses, all on Somerville Avenue.
PromotionalEfforts
All except two of the business owners interviewed currently do some sort of promotion
for their business. Three actively place advertisements in mainstream newspapers,
magazines and radio stations. The rest tend to utilize local print vehicles such as The
Phoenix and The ImproperBostonian or ethnic newspapers such as 0 Globo and A
Semana. The larger ethnic businesses also utilize Brazilian or Latino television to
promote their businesses to a wider audience. Overall, ethnic businesses seem to market
solely to ethnic customers and, not surprisingly, prefer to reach to them in their language
of origin. Several restaurant owners also mentioned that the free coverage their
establishment has received in the food sections of different print vehicles has helped them
tremendously. At the moment none run joint promotions with other businesses in the
area.
When asked if they had any suggestions on how to promote Union Square to attract a
larger clientele, there were three main ideas mentioned. One is to market the Square
through large-scale events such as the Spice of Life. Another is to position it as a
destination for great ethnic restaurants and lively entertainment. Interestingly two of the
owners who mentioned this idea are non-ethnic. One noted that Union Square's biggest
asset is that "it's got a little bit of spice and flavor." Lastly, several business owners
mentioned the area needs to get larger stores or anchors that would make people want to
come specifically to the district.
OrganizationalNetworks
Only four of the businesses interviewed currently belong to the Somerville Chamber of
Commerce. As highlighted in Table 7, two are ethnic: one is Irish and the other is Italian.
One Brazilian business owner was not only a member of the Chamber several years ago
but also served as a Director for a short period of time. He decided to step down from the
organization after feeling that the Chamber was more focused on larger businesses and
that the conversations taking place did not apply to his situation. The business owners
who are not members of the Chamber of Commerce attributed their lack of involvement
to lack of time and high membership fees. One Latino business owner also openly noted
that the Chamber of Commerce is for "Americans" and not people like her. Overall
though, the most prominent reason was skepticism about the organization's intentions
and about its capacity to get things done. One business owner summed it up as "lots of
talk, but no action." No other organization was mentioned when owners were asked about
formal groups to which they belong.
When asked about their relationship with other business owners in the area, all
interviewees pointed to very informal interactions. If they talk to others, the interactions
are mostly described as "stopping by on my way to the bank," "shaking hands on the
street" and "going next door to check up on each other." For the most part, business
owners seem to only talk to the owners of businesses they patronize or to the owners that
shop at their establishment. Their communication about what is taking place in the area
seems to be over sales counters or at street corners. The only merchants who seem to
have a stronger network are the Irish bar and restaurant owners. They seem to
communicate more frequently with each other and stay in touch with what is happening
in the area through mostly social interactions.
Union Square Main Street Participation
As highlighted in Table 7, 12 or 80% of the owners interviewed recognized the name of
Union Square Main Street and several mentioned they had seen the flyers. Still many do
not really know what Main Street is all about. Four think it is solely a storefront
improvement program. The three who did not recognize the name were all ethnic
business owners and were located further out from the Square on Somerville Avenue or
Bow Street.
Table 7: Findings about Organizations
Ethnic
Non-Ethnic
Total
and USMS
Source: Field Research
Member Chamber of Commerce
Heard of USMS
Has or plans to participate in USMS meetings
Yes
No
Yes
2
7
4
8
3
6
2
5
2
No
3
0
3
Yes
4
12
5
No
11
3
10
Only two of the business owners interviewed have attended a Main Street meeting. One
is actively involved as a member of the Transportation Committee and the other sent a
representative as the only bank in the area. Three other merchants said they plan to
participate. When the remaining owners were asked why they were not planning to be
involved, the two most mentioned reasons were lack of time and wariness about the
organization. Many of the business owners associate Main Street with City Hall and,
therefore, their feelings towards the organization range from skepticism to apathy. When
asked if they thought USMS would represent their needs, seven mentioned they did not
know enough to comment. When asked what USMS could do to get them involved in the
organization, the answers were as simple as "come and talk to me" and "show results."
Competing Neighborhood Centers
Union Square is surrounded by six important and active neighborhood commercial
districts in Cambridge and Somerville that act as direct competitors. These include
Central Square, Davis Square, Inman Square, Porter Square, Kendall Square and Harvard
Square. Union Square is at a competitive disadvantage when compared with these
squares particularly in terms of accessibility. As demonstrated in Table 8, most of the
competing neighborhood centers are located within 1.5 miles of Union Square, and have
better public transportation access and parking supply. All except Inman Square are
connected to the Red Line providing easier access to customers beyond the immediate
neighborhood. With the exception of Harvard Square and Central Square, all the other
districts have less traffic congestion. In addition, they all have significantly better
crosswalks, making the pedestrian shopping along the respective districts more pleasant
than at Union Square. More importantly, they all have a number of destination
restaurants, bars and shops that expand their customer base beyond their immediate
neighborhood, with Harvard Square acting as a true regional center.
Table 8: Access to Competing NeighborhoodCommercial Centers
Squares
Transit
Parking
Traffic Flow
Pedestrian
Central
Bus, Red line
Metered public lots, limited
Heavy
Safety
Good
Davis
Harvard
Bus, Red line
Bus, Red line
Moderate
Heavy
Good
Good
Inman
Kendall
Bus only
Bus, Red line
Moderate
Moderate/Heavy
Good
Good
Porter
Union
Bus, Red line
Bus only
Moderate/Heavy
Heavy
Fair
Poor
on street
On street, limited public lots
On street, Metered public
and private lots
On street, Private lots
Private garages with public
parking
Shopping center lot
On street, metered public
lots, some private lots
Source: Union Square Master Plan
Union Square also faces competition from other larger commercial areas. The Cambridge
Side Galleria is only 1.5 miles away from Union Square and contains 850,000 square feet
of retail including a Sears, Best Buy and Filene's Basement. Assembly Square is also
located at near proximity of Union Square and has several anchor stores such as Stop &
Shop and Home Depot. In addition, the recent opening of A.J. Wright and Target in the
perimeter of the Square gives current and potential Union Square customers a broad
range of shopping options that directly compete with many of the businesses in the
district.
Conclusion: Challenges and Opportunities
Although Union Square faces considerable issues, the area has the potential to become
once again a thriving commercial district. It has key assets that can be leveraged to attract
new customers and increase loyalty among current customers. The Square also has some
important challenges that need to be addressed. Following is an analysis of the key
strengths and challenges in the area.
Strengths
-
High density in surrounding neighborhoods
Union Square is bounded by dense, mid-income neighborhoods that provide an
immediate customer base for convenience shopping.
-
Multi-ethnic character
The population in Union Square is incredibly diverse. As an immigrant portal
since the
1 9th
century, the area has pockets of a wide array of ethnicities including
Irish, Portuguese, Brazilian, Mexican, Haitian, Italian and Chinese. This multiethnic character helps distinguish it from other competing districts.
" Regional draw to restaurants and international food markets
The Square is known by the diversity and quality of its restaurants and food
markets, and draws customers from nearby neighborhoods, cities and towns.
-
Marketing Experience
A high percentage of business owners currently engage in marketing their
business, and have valuable experience that could be leveraged.
-
Lower Rents
Rents are lower than in any other competing neighborhood square in the area
(Davis, Porter, Central, Harvard). Rents start at $7 per square foot for industrial
spaces and $11-$24 per square foot for retail and office space.
-
Proximity to McGrath and O'Brian highways
Union Square lies at a strategic crossroad location near two important highways
that pass through the region, and is closer to these highways than its competing
neighborhood retail districts. Currently, thousands of people pass by the area on a
daily basis.
-
Significant buildings and landmarks
Union Square's rich history is exemplified by some of its attractive buildings.
Although the area lacks a cohesive visual identity, the architecture of the
buildings around the main square is worth preserving.
-
Attractive possibilities for new development
The City of Somerville owns several properties at key locations that could be used
for new development if the uses are repositioned. These include the Kiley Barrel
site, the Bow Street Police Station and the Public Safety Building site among
others.
Challenges
-
Lack of trust and participation from the business community
The business community overall is skeptical about planning initiatives and City
Hall's ability to deliver on plans. In addition, very few belong to formal
organizations in the area, most notably the Chamber of Commerce.
-
Not connected to MBTA Subway
Currently Union Square is not connected to the MBTA T line although there are
long-term plans to possibly expand the Green Line to service the area.
-
Unclear image and identity
Although Union Square's diversity in commercial uses and population
demographics is considered a strength, it can also create a confusing image for
customers and residents alike. The area does not currently have a clear identity or
image that can be leveraged in promotional campaigns and other outreach efforts.
-
Gaps in the traditional commercial core retail mix
Union Square does not have the variety of retail stores that are found in other
competing neighborhood commercial districts. Some of the missing retail uses
include a bookstore, a pharmacy or drug store, a health club and more retail shops
selling apparel and general merchandise.
-
Strong competition from nearby squares
Union Square competes with six nearby neighborhood centers in Somerville and
Cambridge. The competing squares include: Inman, Davis, Central, Harvard,
Kendall and Porter. All except one are connected to the Red Line, giving them an
immediate competitive advantage.
-
Poor pedestrian experience and heavy traffic congestion
Union Square's heavy traffic flow creates a confusing and dangerous space for
pedestrians, a situation that is exacerbated by the complicated and infrequent
crosswalks.
-
Lack of daytime foot traffic
Business owners complain about the lack of daytime foot traffic in the area. This
has led to inconsistent business closing times.
Union Square Main Street needs to take these opportunities and challenges into
consideration when coming up with initiatives that will help revitalize the commercial
district. In addition, it needs to understand how it can integrate the high number of ethnic
business owners found in the district into the organization and foster leadership within
the different communities. It also needs to determine if the identity of Union Square
should be tied to multi-cultural reality of the district. These topics will be addressed in the
recommendations for Union Square Main Street in the following chapter.
Union Square Main Street (USMS) was created with the purpose of revitalizing the
commercial district of Union Square. The City of Somerville took the first step in
creating the organization and was able to find individuals in the business and residential
communities to take leadership roles. Yet the ethnic composition of USMS members
does not reflect the demographics of the neighborhood or of the business community.
In this chapter, I first provide background information on USMS including the
organization's current organizational and promotional efforts. All background
information was obtained through interviews with Board Members, interviews with City
of Somerville officials and by participating in meetings. I then highlight the challenges
and opportunities the organization faces in the context of the main lessons from the
literature review and case studies covered in Chapters 2 and 3. I conclude with
recommendations to USMS on how to integrate the multi-ethnic character of the area in
the revitalization efforts and by providing final remarks.
Union Square Main Street (USMS)
In the summer of 2004, the city of Somerville started to actively pursue the idea of
establishing a Main Street program in Union Square. Several studies led the City to this
next step. After the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area Plan (NRSA) completed
in 2002 and the Master Plan completed in 2003, the city decided it was time to take
action. City officials, business owners and residents had long been talking about
strengthening the economic vitality of the commercial district, and Main Street seemed to
be a step on the right direction. The City committed Community Development Block
Grant money towards partially funding the initiative with the expectation that the Main
Street program would be self-sufficient after a certain period of time. By early 2005,
USMS' Board was in place and an Executive Director was hired to develop and
coordinate the initiatives. The program officially launched on February 23, 2005 in an
open reception that was attended by the Mayor and other important political and civic
figures.
Current Organizationand Goals
USMS is governed by a Board of Directors, and is organized around five committees that
are focused on the following goals and objectives2:
-
Organization Committee and Board:
Foster local leadership and consensus based on cooperation of residents,
businesses, landlords and city government.
-
Promotion Committee
Strengthen and market Union Square's image so that residents and people from
other areas can enjoy its vibrant retail, arts and entertainment offerings.
-
Design Committee
Pursue urban design and improvement projects that create a unified square, that
define the area as a commercial center and that are aesthetically pleasing.
-
Economic Restructuring Committee
Support and help grow Union Square as a thriving business district providing
diverse cultural offerings and a variety of independent businesses to both serve
and employ residents.
-
Transportation Committee
Advocate and facilitate for an efficient and thorough system of transportation that
balances the needs of all modalities and pedestrian users.
Transportation is an additional committee added to the Main Street model to address the
significant transportation issues in the area. I will focus on analyzing USMS's
organizational and promotional efforts to date as a way of providing a context for the
recommendations presented at the end of this chapter.
24
From document titled Union Square Main Street Goals and Objectives, March 2005.
Organizational Efforts
USMS has very limited representation of ethnic business owners on both its Board and its
committees. This is partly due to the top-down process followed to create the
organization. In addition, the different ethnic business communities in Union Square are
not formally organized, adding a significant layer of complexity to the outreach efforts to
gain their participation.
Ensuring Diverse Representation on the Board
In order to establish the Main Street program in Union Square, city officials started
meeting with stakeholders from the area to see what kind of support the program would
get and to identify future leaders for the organization. The City needed to establish
credibility quickly and demonstrate to the community that this was not just another
planning exercise. In addition, it had to start implementation of the program before the
Mayoral elections which take place every two years. For these reasons, the City
approached individuals who had been involved in other organizations, such as the
Business Improvement Group (BIG), to encourage them to take an active role. Although
not left out on purpose, the ethnic business owners have not typically been active in the
past and thus not part of the City's recruitment efforts.
The USMS Board of Directors is composed of seven voting members, two city officials
who act as non-voting members and the program's Executive Director. Two of the seven
voting members are business owners in the area while the remaining five are residents.
Of the two business owners, one owns a restaurant and the other owns a caf6 in the CBD.
Only one self-identifies as ethnic (Irish). Although the City was interested in having a
more diverse board, both in terms of ethnicity and in terms of stakeholder groups, it still
relied primarily on engaging individuals that had been active in the past, ultimately
limiting representation. Committees are chaired by one of the Board Members and have
open membership. Although the committee meetings have been advertised through
brochures, there has practically been no participation of ethnic business owners to this
date.
Communicating Benefits and Engaging Business Owners
As mentioned earlier, the Organization Committee is in charge of building stakeholders'
interest and consensus on the revitalization efforts. In addition, it oversees all fundraising
activities for the Main Street program and the administration and financial functions of
USMS. It appears that the committee is primarily focused on coming up with a plan for
the latter goal, and attracting members who will help raise money for the organization.
From informal conversations with members, it appears that the committee is not putting
much weight on addressing the ethnic representation gap within USMS. Yet the gap is
noticeable. There is not a single Brazilian business owner who is active in the
organization although they represent 20% of all businesses identified in the inventory.
There are also no Portuguese, Asians, Latinos or Haitians actively participating in the
committees. It is important to note that several USMS Board Members including the
Executive Director recognize this is a problem. Still, there appears to be no ideas or plans
on how to gain support and increase involvement of ethnic business owners.
Most of the outreach efforts have been conducted by the Executive Director, and have
been through one-on-one conversations and distribution of promotional materials
including a program brochure written in English (see Appendix G). Copies were given
directly to merchants for their use and to be handed out to their customers. Besides
announcing the launch event, the brochure had information on the committees' kick-off
meetings. Unfortunately, the first meeting for the Organization Committee announced in
the brochure was cancelled at the last minute, limiting the impact of the outreach that had
been done to that point.
Promotional Efforts
USMS is currently in the process of redefining the district's image by leveraging its
bohemian and multi-ethnic character and developing events and activities to support it.
The organization is also working with the City of Somerville to bring a farmers market to
the area.
Leveraging Ethnicity with the Identity of the District
The identity of Union Square has been mostly tied
to the history of the area. Signs proclaiming the area
as a "lively historic crossroads" are commonly seen
around the district. Even USMS's current logo is a
visual representation of the fort on Prospect Hill
i
nal*fl
UNIUNE&MUQARk
M'__
_69
M AIN STREETS
where the first Union Flag was raised. Still, the Promotions Committee is open to change.
It held a brainstorming session in early March where people threw out ideas on how to
position the district. The multi-ethnic character was one of them. Some of the preliminary
positioning statements that came out of the session included "union of all nations", "you
don't need a plane to travel the world" and "where the world eats/meets." 25 Overall, the
Committee understands that the multi-ethnic character of the area is an asset that can be
leveraged to give Union Square a competitive advantage, and is working on integrating it
into the marketing plan.
Advertising and Events
USMS is still determining its marketing plan and, therefore, is not currently engaged in
advertising efforts although it plans to do so in the near future. On the other hand, the
organization is already actively working on events and activities that will bring people to
the area. The main focus right now is on the farmers market that is scheduled to launch in
the summer of 2005 and run during the weekends.
In addition, USMS was recently awarded an arts grant in partnership with the Somerville
Arts Council to create a program they are naming the ArtsUnion. According to the grant
proposal, the program "seeks to utilize assets in Union Square- namely the vibrant ethnic
mix of the area and the burgeoning artist population- to propel an entirely new cultural
rejuvenation project." The ArtsUnion program has five key components: (1) outdoor
performance series; (2) arts and crafts market; (3) walking tours on different topics
2
From Promotions Committee meeting minutes: April 20, 2005.
including history and culinary diversity; (4) new street architecture such as benches and
tree gates; and (5) designation of Union Square as an arts district.
Other Organizations in Union Square
Besides USMS, there are several organizations in Union Square that are active in the area
and are important to note. The Business Interest Group (BIG) acts as the merchant
association arm of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce. The group worked on the
current signage found throughout the district, and has taken an active role in the efforts to
bring the Green Line to Union Square. The Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) is
a local CDC focused on affordable housing. The Community Action Agency of
Somerville (CAAS) is a not-for-profit organization focused on issues of poverty and
advocacy for lower-income populations. The Massachusetts Alliance for Portuguese
Speakers (MAPS) provides a range of health and social services for Portuguese-speakers
in the area. Although it caters to an ethnic population, it is not well connected with Union
Square's Brazilian or Portuguese business communities. Lastly and although not a formal
group, the grassroots organization behind the Spice of Life26 festival has played an
important role in the community, and has been successful in reaching out to a wide array
of stakeholders in the area.
None of the organizations listed seems to have strong affiliations with the ethnic business
groups in Union Square. In addition, although some of these organizations may lend their
support in the revitalization efforts, none are currently actively working with USMS. This
is highlighted by the fact that there is no representation of any of these organizations in
the USMS Board of Directors.
USMS's Challenges and Opportunities in Context of Main Lessons
In this section, I look at the main challenges and opportunities USMS faces in the context
of the lessons from the literature review and the case studies. I will focus on analyzing
The Spice of Life festival started in October 2000 and ran for three years. It showcased the
great diversity
of Union Square through music performances, food stands and artists' displays.
26
which aspects of Union Square need to be taken into account when adapting the key
lessons presented in Chapters 2 and 3.
Main Lessons from LiteratureReview
The literature review on ethnic entrepreneurship and organizational design and the review
of two case studies documented by practitioners- Fruitvale and District del Soluncovered important findings that should be considered in the context of USMS's efforts.
-
Co-ethnics play an important role as customers and employees for ethnic
businesses.
Based on the information obtained through the business owners interviews discussed
in Chapter 4, the ethnic businesses in Union Square seem to share the characteristics
uncovered in the ethnic entrepreneurship literature review: co-ethnics compose, for
the most part, the main customer and employee base. This is important to note
because the dependence on co-ethnics initially acts as an engine for growth but can
eventually act as a barrier. For example, the marketing knowledge Union Square
ethnic businesses have seems to be limited to ethnic media. In addition, by employing
mostly co-ethnics, these businesses might not have the internal resources and
knowledge necessary to be able to successfully expand to a wider customer base.
-
The absence of trust is a precondition to conflict.
The absence of trust towards planning initiatives and, in particular, City Hall extends
beyond the ethnic business owners in Union Square. As highlighted in Chapter 4,
business owners across ethnic lines are skeptical about the Main Street program being
another example of "lots of talk, but no action." In a memo written by a City of
Somerville official in the summer of 2004, the "serious lack of trust between the
various stakeholders in Union Square" was one of the top obstacles mentioned for the
implementation of the Main Street program.
The lack of representation of different
groups in USMS's Board is likely to exacerbate the mistrust. USMS needs to
Union Square Main Street Memorandum written by Shoma Haque, Rappaport Fellow in the Department
of Planning and Development, in August, 14 2004.
27
understand the significant challenge this poses to get buy-in and support from the
entire business community and the repercussions it will have in the future if not
addressed properly.
-
The selection of participants is a critical factor in determining the future success
of an organization.
The creation of the Union Square Main Street Board was not designed to be
representative from the start, mostly due to the top-down process it followed. USMS
was presented as a mandate from the City, and leaders were identified by City of
Somerville officials. The City drew resources from formal organizations in the area,
including the Somerville Chamber of Commerce which has very limited reach within
both the ethnic and the non-ethnic business communities in Union Square. Although
individuals that do not see representation as a problem claim that the organizing stage
has been successful, the reality is that there are major stakeholder groups that were
left out in the process. Without integrating ethnic business owners, USMS' ability to
develop strategic capacity is compromised. At the moment, the leadership appears to
be very concentrated within some stakeholder groups, potentially creating a feeling of
"us"P vs. "them."
-
Events tied to the ethnicity of a district can be an effective promotional tool.
Both case studies covered in the practitioner literature review have been able to
successfully leverage the ethnicity of their districts by tying it to large-scale events.
The Cinco de Mayo and the Day of the Dead festivals are promotional assets to
District del Sol and Fruitvale respectively, and attract over 75,000 attendees from
various areas of the city. Union Square has the opportunity to leverage its rich multiethnic character in events that have a general draw and celebrate the district's
diversity like it did in the past with the Spice of Life festival.
Main Lessons from Case Studies
The case studies covered in Chapter 3 provide valuable insights into strategies that could
be implemented in Union Square to leverage the multi-ethnic character of the district. It
is important to note that neither Hyde Jackson Square nor Sunset Park is a mirror of
Union Square. The districts have important demographic and organizational differences
within their business communities that need to be taken into account. I will highlight
some of the most significant differences in the context of the main lessons learned from
the case studies.
Leveraging the existing organizations and networks of an area increases
resources and helps reach out to potential members through different avenues.
Hyde Jackson Square Main Street and the Sunset Park BID were able to leverage a
strong merchant association to generate interest in the revitalization initiatives and
reach out to potential members. Both organizations benefited from the high level of
civic experience and networks within their district. Furthermore, HJSMS integrated
two local CDCs into the Board of Directors, increasing capacity and widening the
organization's reach.
Union Square's situation is more challenging. Although several established
organizations in the area focus on the business community, most notably the Chamber
of Commerce, the level of participation is very low. Out of the fifteen business
owners interviewed, only four belong to the Chamber. Not unlike the trust issues
mentioned earlier, the lack of interest in participating in formal organizations is also a
larger issue within the business community in Union Square, and is not confined to
the ethnic community.
= Individuals that act as 'bridges' between different communities play a key role
in reaching out to ethnic business owners and engaging them in the revitalization
efforts.
'Bridges' are individuals who connect two communities that otherwise might not be
connected. Their role is incredibly important as they are able to build support within
groups that sometimes seem unattainable, and act as agents for building trust. In the
Sunset Park BID, a Latino business owner who was also part of the merchant
association ensured the participation of the Latino community in the revitalization
efforts by conducting the outreach in Spanish. Still, it is important to note that the
BID has not been as successful in including the other ethnic groups found in Sunset
Park.
Union Square might face a similar challenge. Since there are over eight ethnicities
represented in the district, the amount of 'bridging' that needs to take place is
significantly multiplied. To make the situation more complicated, some of the ethnic
communities found in Union Square are fragmented. Even the Brazilian community,
which is by far the largest in the district, does not have a person in a leadership
position at the moment that can fulfill a 'bridging' function. The relationship between
the business owners seems to be more informal and based on customer-to-client
interactions.
Regular one-to-one communication is the most effective outreach strategy.
All four cases covered in Chapters 2 and 3 point to one-on-one communication as the
most effective avenue for getting business owners involved and excited about the
revitalization programs. Key leaders of both HJSMS and the BID allocate a
substantial part of their time to walking the district and talking to business owners
directly.
USMS's Executive Director has been able to make direct contact with many of the
business owners in the area. Out of the fifteen interviewed, only three business
owners claimed they had not heard of USMS. Yet, even some the ones that have
heard of it are not clear on the organization's mission and goals. Language barriers
might have played a role. To this end, USMS needs to increase its direct outreach
efforts to the entire business community. Furthermore and tied to the prior point about
'bridges', USMS needs to find leaders who are fluent in languages represented in the
distirct to reach out to ethnic business owners and get them to understand what the
organization is about. As mentioned earlier, USMS's current leadership has limited
foreign language capacity.
-
Conducting a needs assessment exercise is a powerful tool to get stakeholders
involved and excited about the revitalization efforts.
HJSMS was successful in understanding the business community's main concerns by
conducting focus groups around issues affecting the neighborhood. Similarly, the BID
is able to formulate an agenda every year based on the results from an annual needs
assessment survey. In both cases, the exercises have proven to be effective avenues to
get support and buy-in from the business community.
To date, Union Square business owners have not been formally asked about their
needs and concerns. The only voices being heard are of those merchants who
participate in formal organizations or who are proactive and attend meetings. Ethnic
business owners do not seem to fall into this category, although they represent 44% of
the total businesses in the CBD.
Recommendations for USMS
In this section, I propose specific recommendations to Union Square Main Street on how
to integrate the Square's rich diversity in its organizational structure and promotional
efforts. The recommendations take into account the challenges and opportunities listed
above together with other important findings that emerged from the analysis of Union
Square. They are divided in two themes: organization and promotion.
Organization
USMS faces significant challenges in getting ethnic business owners interested in taking
leadership positions and excited about the revitalization initiatives. First, there is widespread skepticism in the neighborhood about efforts that involve City Hall. This
skepticism is shared by both ethnic and non-ethnic business owners. Second, the ethnic
communities are not formally organized and their informal networks are not particularly
strong. There seems to be a lack of communication, even within specific ethnic
communities, such as with the Brazilian business owners. Third, there is no on-going
history of the different communities working together to improve the area. Lastly, there
are serious language barriers playing out in the district, with a significant number of
ethnic business owners not speaking English fluently. 2 8
Following is a table summarizing the main recommendations USMS could undertake to
address the organizational challenges
Table 9: Summary of Recommendationsfor USMS to Address OrganizationalChallenges
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
Step 1
Recognize issue
ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS
>
representation is an issue that will impact
future success.
and agree on
addressing it.
Step 2
Increase
organizationale
organizational
capacity.
Have current Board understand lack of
>
Obtain current Board's buy-in for Step 2 and
Steps 3.
>
Grow Board of Directors:
o
profits to balance stakeholder
groups.
o
o
Step 3
Build trust and
ownership.
Add more businesses and non-
Include non-English language
capacity.
Integrate key organizations
operating in Union Square.
>
Identify and recruit leaders that can act as
'bridges' for different ethnic communities.
>
Assess needs through focus groups and
surveys.
>
Organize around a common cause or need.
>
Conduct constant one-to-one outreach.
>
Translate promotional materials.
>
Run networking events and provide
technical assistance.
>
Show
results.
While conducting interviews with business owners, I
either interviewed or talked to several that were not
fluent in English. Although I do not have any specific data to support this observation, it is important to
note.
28
STEP 1: Recognize lack of representation in USMS is an issue and agree on
addressing it.
Before USMS can increase its capacity and address the lack of trust and ownership the
business community feels towards the revitalization efforts, the Board has to accept the
challenge it is facing: USMS is not representative of the area. This reality impacts
USMS's organizational capacity and, in the future, will impact the success of the
revitalization initiatives. As highlighted in the organizational design literature review,
having a diverse group increases productivity and resources. Some of the potential
benefits to USMS include more widespread physical improvement and better coordinated
marketing among others. The case studies reviewed support this idea. In Hyde Jackson
Square the integration of non-Latino merchants into the revitalization efforts was crucial
in the success of the organization. In the case of Sunset Park, although the BID has not
been as effective in integrating ethnic business owners besides Latinos, the organization
is working on reaching out to the Asian community because it recognizes that the lack of
representation is a problem.
Once the Board recognizes the issue, it has to buy-into a plan to make the necessary
changes to have a more inclusive and representative organization. Step 2 provides
recommendations on how this could be accomplished.
>
STEP 2: Increase Organizational Capacity.
An essential step towards ensuring a more representative and inclusive organization is to
enhance USMS's organizational capacity. Increasing the number of Board Members is
one way to achieve this goal. Another is to identify and recruit individuals who can act as
'bridges' and leaders for the different ethnic communities.
Grow the Board of Directors.
USMS's Board of Directors is relatively small when compared to other Main Street
Boards. In addition, the Board is more resident-focused. Out of the total seven members,
only two own a business in Union Square. As found in the interviews with the merchants,
the Union Square business community is already skeptical about any "planning" initiative
taking place in the district. Business owners across ethnic lines expressed frustration with
the lack of action in the area. Having such limited representation of the business
community could also contribute to the merchants' perception that their needs and
concerns are not being properly addressed. This will, most likely, add to the feelings of
mistrust already present. In addition, USMS is not leveraging the organizations in the
area. Although not nearly as strong as in Hyde Jackson Square, Union Square has several
organizations that have been active in the past and that have resources that could be
utilized.
USMS should therefore consider increasing its Board by three to five new members that
represent the business community and organizations in the area. In addition, it should
recruit new Board Members that represent different ethnic communities. If the
organization wants to be successful in reaching out to ethnic business owners, it needs to
grow its foreign language capacity. As was highlighted in both the case of HJSMS and
the BID, addressing the Latino business owners in Spanish proved to be a very efficient
strategy to get them involved. At a minimum, USMS should recruit new members that
speak Portuguese to address the very prominent Brazilian and Portuguese business
communities found in the district.
Identify and Recruit Leaders that can Act as 'Bridges'.
USMS needs to identify individuals that can act as 'bridges' between Union Square's
ethnic and non-ethnic communities. Besides providing leadership, 'bridges' give
legitimacy to the specific needs of the ethnic community they belong to and serve. They
can also effectively identify and allocate other resources needed to implement ideas.
Most importantly, they can help transform what is seen as "their vision" into "our vision"
by representing a different voice while owning a piece of the process. I will use the
Brazilian community as an example since it is the largest business group in the district.
Exhibit 5: Example to illustrate the role a Brazilian business owner acting as a 'bridge'
couldfill by connecting the Brazilian business community and the non-ethnic business
community in Union Square. The Brazilian community is used for illustrativepurposes.
BRIDGE
Brazilian community
*
*
Understands needs
and priorities
Respected and
trusted within the
community
Non-ethnic community
Communicates needs
and priorities
Respected and trusted
within the community
Currently, the Brazilian community feels no sense of ownership over USMS' plan
because they have not been part of shaping it. A bridge that has the respect of both the
Brazilian community and the USMS Board can help by bringing and legitimizing a new
voice in the process. One person who could be a good 'bridge' with the Brazilian
community is the owner of Amazonia Insurance. Due to the nature of his business, he has
client-to-customer relationships with a large number of Brazilian business owners in the
area. In addition, he participated as a Director in the Chamber of Commerce and is well
respected by non-ethnic business owners. He can play a crucial role in communicating
the benefits of getting involved in USMS to the Brazilian business owners and in
representing their needs within the organization.
While I have used the Brazilian community as a way of highlighting this
recommendation, it is important to recognize that USMS needs to bridge with other
groups as well, most notably the Asian and Latino communities. The owners of Reliable
Market and El Internacional represent potential 'bridges' to these communities
respectively.
Once USMS increases its organizational capacity and is ready to engage ethnic business
owners, it will have to work on building trust in the organization and having the
community feel a sense of ownership over the revitalization initiatives.
>
STEP 3: Build Trust and Sense of Ownership within Business Community.
USMS will need to spend a significant amount of time addressing the issues of mistrust
and lack of ownership felt within the business community. Several tactics should be
pursued. Conducting a needs assessment exercise through focus groups or surveys could
be an effective first step. USMS should also try to identify a common issue or need that
will mobilize business owners across ethnic lines. Constant outreach through one-on-one
conversations, networking events and distribution of promotional materials will also play
a crucial role towards achieving this strategic goal. Finally, throughout the entire process,
it is fundamental that USMS promotes its achievements to the business community on a
continuous basis and shows that things are happening.
Assess needs through focus groups and surveys.
USMS has to go back several steps to build the constituency it needs to support the
revitalization plans in the area within both the ethnic and the non-ethnic business
communities. One way of generating interest and a sense of ownership within the
business community is by running small focus groups. In Hyde Jackson Square the focus
groups played an important role in getting the business community's support to start the
Main Street program.
Since USMS is already in place, the purpose of the focus groups in Union Square should
be to determine the main needs and priorities for the business owners, both ethnic and
non-ethnic. Most importantly, the focus groups should be used to build ownership over
the revitalization process and identify other leaders in the community who will help move
the Main Street initiative along. It is imperative that the current USMS Board understands
the cost faced if the unrepresented stakeholder groups, most notably the ethnic business
owners, are not included early in the process. Besides the focus groups, USMS could also
assess the needs of the business owners in the district by distributing a survey. As
demonstrated in the case of HJSMS and the BID, a needs assessment exercise not only
informed future strategies but also helped the organizations build trust and interest in the
revitalization efforts.
To date, Union Square's business owners have not been formally asked what their needs
and concerns are. The only voices being heard are of those merchants who participate in
formal organizations or who are proactive and attend meetings. Based on the findings
from the interviews, ethnic business owners do not tend to fall in this category. Yet that
does not change the reality that these owners represent 44% of the total businesses in the
CBD. It is therefore essential that USMS provides a forum, both through focus groups
and surveys, for ethnic business owners to voice their concerns while feeling their needs
are being recognized and acted upon. USMS should also consider translating the survey
into different languages to facilitate communication and to demonstrate interest in
obtaining their opinion.
Organize around a common cause or need.
Once USMS understands the main needs of the business community, it should try to find
a common and concrete cause to get people mobilized and organized around.
Commercial revitalization and all the catchy phrases that come with it (e.g. "improve
livability," "enhance the business district") are vague and might not mean anything to
business owners. In addition, these phrases do not provide the sense of immediacy that
will motivate a large number of stakeholders to organize. As highlighted in Chapter 3, in
both Hyde Jackson Square and Sunset Park the issue of crime and safety provided a good
reason for people to come together. In Union Square, the extension of the Green Line
might be that issue. Fourteen out of fifteen business owners interviewed mentioned it as
the number one opportunity in the area. Flyers for the public meeting to discuss the topic
could be seen in storefronts all around the CBD. Although the project brings up other
issues due to its long-term nature, the support at the moment cuts across any ethnic lines
and represents a common goal for the business community overall.
Conduct constant one-to-one outreach.
Throughout the entire process, USMS should focus on directly reaching as many business
owners as possible. All four case studies covered in this thesis point to one-on-one
communication as the most effective outreach tool to engage business owners and get
them excited about the revitalization efforts. USMS should dedicate a significant amount
of time to talking directly to the business owners and keeping them informed about the
organization's activities. When interviewed, one Brazilian merchant put it simply by
saying that all USMS had to do to get her involved was to "come and talk to me."
In this capacity and in conjunction with the Executive Director, USMS leaders and
'bridges' that speak a language represented in the district will play a crucial role in
reaching out to ethnic business owners. As noted earlier, many merchants do not seem to
be fluent in English. Having someone address ethnic business owners in their native
language will significantly enhance communication. Personality also plays an important
role in one-to-one communication. Besides having foreign language ability, individuals
that are charismatic and well-liked within the community should take the lead in reaching
ethnic business owners.
Translate promotional materials.
Translating materials into the languages spoken by business owners in the district could
also be an effective way of integrating ethnic business owners. Besides aiding
communication, it will show that USMS cares about including them. The Sunset Park
BID translated all of its materials in Spanish during the first years, and had several
messages in Chinese in their newsletter. Although it decided to cut back on translations
due to costs and not wanting to exclude any ethnic group, the current Director says the
translations helped get a wider group of constituents behind the revitalization initiatives.
In Union Square, materials should be translated at least into Portuguese to address the
Brazilian and Portuguese communities, which represent almost 25% of the businesses in
the CBD. USMS should explore getting the materials translated for free or at a low-cost
by partnering with organizations such as the Massachusetts Alliance for Portuguese
Speakers (MAPS), by asking community members for help or by hiring a student. The
latter avenues could also be used to translate materials into the other languages spoken in
the district.
Run networking events and provide technical assistance.
Other possible avenues for building trust and reaching out to the business community
include networking events and technical assistance support. Networking events proved to
be highly successful for District del Sol where Main Street organized after business hours
social events for merchants to come and meet each other. In addition, it held monthly
events with outside speakers that addressed topics of interest to the business community.
Running these types of events in Union Square could prove to be successful in
strengthening the relationships between both ethnic and non-ethnic merchants. At the
moment, the business owners are not well organized either formally or informally, and
their interactions seem to be more based on a client-to-customer level rather than on a
business owner-to-business owner level. The networking events could help, to a certain
extent, structure these relationships and cultivate a sense of community.
USMS could also assist ethnic businesses in growing their markets beyond co-ethnics. In
Hyde Jackson Square, the Main Street organization helped one Latino restaurant owner
promote his business to a wider, non-Spanish speaking market. Due in part to HJSMS's
efforts, the restaurant is currently one of the top destinations for Latinos and non-Latinos
alike. USMS should look into technical assistance programs that address the needs of the
ethnic business community. Demonstrating genuine interest will be powerful in
establishing trust with the ethnic business owners. USMS leaders acting as 'bridges'
should play a primary role in getting the business owners interested in both the
networking events and the technical assistance programs.
Show results!
Throughout the entire process USMS needs to 'market' itself and all its achievements to
the entire business community in Union Square. One of the main sources of mistrust
comes from the "lots of talk, but no action" feeling found throughout the district.
Demonstrating that USMS is causing change and delivering on plans should significantly
alter this perception. Constant one-to-one communication, newsletters and a website are
good vehicles to use. USMS is already utilizing some of these vehicles but needs to
expand its reach. Visible and tangible changes are also powerful. In Hyde Jackson
Square, the storefront renewal program played an important role in getting business
owners excited about the revitalization initiatives. In sum, USMS should not be shy about
promoting all the great accomplishments they will achieve.
The challenges USMS faces from an organizational standpoint are significant and
complex, yet they are not insurmountable. USMS is in a point in time where it can make
changes before the organizational challenges negatively impact the success of the
revitalization initiatives. Recognizing there is a representation issue, increasing the
organization's capacity and building trust and ownership of the plans within the entire
business community are essential first steps. Addressing the main organizational issues
will also prove to be critical for the success of the following promotional
recommendations.
Promotion
From a promotional standpoint, USMS is on the right track to leverage the multi-ethnic
character of the district. The organization is already following some of the effective
practices found throughout the case studies. More than addressing challenges, the
recommendations tied to promotion are focused on utilizing opportunities that are already
present in the district. To this end, USMS would greatly benefit from developing a plan
around basic marketing principles that can be applied to its commercial district, or two of
the four marketing Ps: Product, and Promotion.
29
First, USMS needs to define the 'product' it will be promoting or selling. Convenient
location, important anchor stores or unique shopping or consumption experiences are
some ways commercial districts can be positioned as a product. In the case of Union
Square, USMS should leverage its multi-ethnic character in creating a product image and
29 The four P's of marketing are: Product (the product or service provided); Place (the distribution
channels
used to get the product to the customer); Promotion (the outreach efforts to get customers interested); and
Price (quantity charged for the product or service).
a cohesive message. Second, the organization needs to determine the vehicles that could
be used to promote the district to current and potential customers. USMS could utilize the
existing marketing knowledge in the district on which vehicles it could use to reach a
larger ethnic and non-ethnic customer base. Third, USMS should continue the planning
efforts underway to bring events, festivals and activities to the area including the farmers
market.
Following is a summary of the recommendations that USMS could undertake to leverage
the promotional opportunities of the district:
Exhibit 6: Summary of Recommendations for USMS to Leverage Promotional
Opportunities
Union Square's
MARKETING PLAN
Product
Utilize multiethnic character in
district's identity
and image. Define
target audience
and message.
Pro m otion
Adv rtising
Promotion
Events
Levera ge existing
mark eting and
enco rage joint
camipaigns.
Organize events
and festivals,
including the
farmers market.
Create an identity of Union Square as a multi-cultural destination.
As evidenced in the case studies, ethnicity can be a promotional draw if positioned
correctly. The Sunset Park BID was able to successfully leverage its multi-ethnic
character to get free coverage in local newspapers. Similarly, Hyde Jackson Square has
been able to play on the Latino presence in the district to attract customers from outside
of the neighborhood. From a multi-cultural standpoint, Union Square is a model district.
The presence of the Brazilian, Irish, Latino and Asian communities is immediately felt by
simply waking down one block and looking at the storefronts. In addition, Union Square
already has a reputation for its ethnically diverse restaurants and food markets that can be
further capitalized on.
USMS should turn the district's current reputation and multi-ethnic reality into a
competitive advantage. By marketing Union Square as an ethnically diverse district with
a strong restaurant and entertainment mix, USMS could appeal to a wider customer base
and differentiate the district from its competitors. None of the competing squares
highlighted in Chapter 4 seem to be utilizing diversity in the positioning message of their
districts. 30 The organization's current ideas for positioning the Square as "union of all
nations," "you don't need a plane to travel the world" and "where the world eats/meets"
are right on target and should be further developed.
Leverage existing marketing in the district.
Once USMS defines the image and the way the district will be presented, it needs to
decide which vehicles will be used. Union Square merchants are already promoting their
businesses to ethnic and non-ethnic customers alike. Thirteen out of the fifteen business
owners interviewed mentioned they promote their establishment through print
advertising, radio or television. Ethnic business owners tend to focus on advertising in
ethnic media. 0 Globo, A Semana and Telemundo were the vehicles most widely
mentioned. USMS has the potential to gain advertising dollars from the promotions that
are already taking place.
USMS should integrate into its plan the existing marketing knowledge in the district. It
should leverage the marketing expertise of both ethnic and non-ethnic business owners,
30 Positioning statements posted on competing districts' websites-- HARVARD SQ.: "Harvard Square is a
world-renowned shopping, dining, cultural and historical destination."; INMAN SQ.: "Inman Square is one
of the last bastions of owner-run businesses in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the US and the Earth."; and
CENTRAL SQ: "Frequented by students and professors, business people, visitors, and residents, Central
Square establishments offer a bit of everything, all in one convenient place." Other competing squares do
not have a website.
and understand which vehicles have proven to work. In addition, USMS should help
ethnic business owners understand how to position their businesses to a larger customer
base while preserving their ethnic character. Finally, USMS should help restaurants get
exposure in the food sections of print media as this has proven to be an effective draw in
the past.
Encourage businesses to run joint promotional campaigns.
A joint advertising campaign is an effective way to communicate to current and potential
customers that they have many reasons to visit an area. After initial opposition by the
restaurant owners, HJSMS ran a joint campaign promoting different establishments in
several local newspapers. The business mix in Union Square easily lends itself to crosspromotional opportunities. Just like in Hyde Jackson Square, a joint campaign could be
created around restaurants. The Square has fourteen ethnic restaurants that are already a
draw to the area and one of the district's greatest assets. USMS could pay for or
encourage business owners to run a joint campaign utilizing media vehicles that have
worked in the past such as Boston Magazine and The Phoenix. The tagline "where the
world eats/meets" would fit perfectly in this context.
Organize large-scale events that bring people to the district.
Large-scale events have proven to be successful promotional vehicles to get people from
outside of the neighborhood in a district. The Cinco de Mayo festival in District del Sol,
Day of the Dead in Fruitvale, World Fair/FeriaMundial in Hyde Jackson Square and
Paradeof Flags in Sunset Park have all achieved this goal. Furthermore, their appeal is
mostly due to the celebration of ethnicity or ethnicities found along the different districts.
A similar event or festival in Union Square could also prove to be successful. USMS
should consider creating a new event or reviving the Spice of Life festival through the
ArtsUnion program. The festival attracted 3,000 people the year it launched (2000), and
proved to be a great event to bring the community together. Five business owners, almost
all ethnic, mentioned it as an idea for promoting the district. Like all the districts
mentioned above, USMS could promote the event to a larger audience through print and
radio advertisements and flyers. The farmers market scheduled to launch in the summer
of 2005 will also be a great asset to the Union Square community that could be utilized to
bring more people into the district. In addition, USMS could expand it into a farmer's and
international food market where local stores and restaurants sell food along with the
farmers.
Overall, USMS is in a strong position to leverage Union Square's multi-ethnic character
in its marketing plan. In addition, USMS can gain current advertising dollars and can
utilize the exiting marketing knowledge in the district to reach a wider customer base.
Lastly, through the ArtsUnion program the organization has the financial resources
needed to sponsor a large scale event if it wishes to do so. Yet as mentioned earlier, in
order for all these promotional recommendations to be successful, USMS needs to
address the organizational challenges it is facing at once. Without the buy-in from the
ethnic business owners and their marketing knowledge, USMS promotional efforts will
most likely flounder.
FinalRemarks on USMS
Union Square continues to be a portal entry for immigrants. As such, the demographics of
the area will most likely continue to change, presenting an ongoing representation
challenge for USMS. For this reason, the recommendations highlighted in this thesis will
have to be revisited and modified according to the needs of the district. The
organizational issues will have to be continually addressed, and new leaders and 'bridges'
will have to be recruited on an ongoing basis. In addition, the focus on improving the area
led by organizations such as USMS might also change the economic composition of the
residential neighborhoods in the area, affecting the demand for products and services
currently found along the CBD. Rising rents and gentrification are already issues
mentioned by many business owners in the district. These changes will also need to be
addressed in the context of the image of the district and the way it is presented through
promotional materials.
Conclusion
This thesis starts with the assumption that diversity in a district, if treated properly, can
be an asset for revitalization initiatives. Through a review of academic literature on ethnic
entrepreneurship, commercial revitalization and organizational design, a review of the
case studies on Fruitvale and District del Sol documented by practitioners and by
documenting the cases of Hyde Jackson Square Main Street and Sunset Park BID through
primary and secondary sources, I argue that there are three components that can turn
ethnicity into an asset rather than a barrier:
1. The extent to which ethnic business owners are selected to participate in the
revitalization efforts and integrated into leadership roles.
2. The types of outreach and communication strategies utilized by the organization
leading the revitalization efforts to engage ethnic business owners and how the
benefits of participating are communicated.
3. The promotional efforts that are tied to the ethnic character of the area to attract a
wider customer base and to give it a competitive advantage.
Throughout this thesis, I have provided effective practices on how several commercial
districts have integrated these three components. The case studies covered provide a
number of lessons that are applicable to Union Square and other urban neighborhoods. In
addition, I have analyzed the case of Union Square and provided specific
recommendations to the organization leading the revitalization efforts on how to best
integrate the district's multi-ethnic character into their revitalization efforts, drawing on
the lessons from the case studies and literature reviewed.
I understand there are limitations to my argument. First, if all the businesses position
themselves as 'ethnic' then there is no competitive advantage. Second, I only focus on the
business community and do not address ethnicity within other stakeholder groups
involved in commercial revitalization such as residents and representatives from
community organizations. Third, I do not look at how ethnicity can be incorporated into
other aspects of commercial revitalization strategies such as design elements and
economic restructuring. Further research could be conducted to study these issues in
more depth.
For now, I hope this thesis is helpful to the Union Square Main Street organization and
other practitioners working on commercial revitalization in multi-ethnic business
districts. Getting a diverse group of constituents to participate in enhancing a commercial
district is challenging but worthwhile as it is an indicator of future success.
Aldrich, Howard, Trevor Jones and David McEnvoy. 1984. Ethnic Advantage and
Minority Business Development. Ethnic Communities in Business, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Bates, Timothy. 1997. Race, Self-Employment and UpwardMobility: An Illusive
American Dream, Washington D.C.: The Woodword Wilson Center Press.
Bonacich, Edna and John Modell. 1980. The Economic Basis of Ethnic Solidarity: Small
Business in the Japanese American Community, Berkeley: University of California Press.
Brewer, Marilynn. 1999. Social identity, group loyalty, and inter-group conflict. In C.
Hermann, H. Jacobson, and A. Moffat, Eds., Violent conflict in the 21s' century: Causes,
Instruments, and Mitigation, Chicago: Academy of Arts and Sciences
Butler, J.S., and Patricia Green. 1997. Ethnic Entrepreneurship: The Continuous Rebirth
of American Enterprise. Entrepreneurship2000, Chicago, IL: Upstart Publishing, p. 267289.
City of Boston Main Street website. 2005. http://www.cityofboston.gov/mainstreets.
City of Somerville and Blue Stone Planning Group. 2003. Union Square Master Plan.
City of Somerville, MA. 2002. NeighborhoodRevitalization Strategy Area Plan.
City of Somerville website. 2005. http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us.
Chaganti, Radha and Patricia G. Greene. 2002. Who are Ethnic Entrepreneurs? A Study
of Entrepreneurs' Ethnic Involvement and Business Characteristics. Journalof Small
Business Management, Vol. 40, No. 2, p. 126-143.
Dane, Suzanne G. 1997. Main Streets Success Stories, Washington, D.C.: National Main
Street Center, National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Dei Ottati G. 1994. Trust, Interlinking Transactions and Credit in the Industrial District.
CambridgeJournal of Economics, Vol. 18, No.6.
de Souza-Briggs, Xavier. 2003. We are all negotiatorsnow: An Introductionto
Negotiation in Community Problem Solving, Cambridge: The Art and Science of
Community Problem-Solving Project at Harvard University.
District del Sol website. 2005. http://www.districtdelsol.com/.
Fannie Mae Foundation website. 2005. www.fanniemaefoundation.org.
Ferguson, Bruce W., Mary M. Miller and Cynthia Liston. 1996. Retail Revitalization.
Economic Development Commentary, Vol. 19, No. 4, p. 4-13.
Gray, Barbara. 1989. Collaborating:Finding Common Groundfor Multiparty Problems,
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Halter, Marilyn. 1995. New Migrants in the Marketplace: Boston's Ethnic Entrepreneurs,
Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts Press.
Houston Jr., Lawrence 0. 1996. Business Improvement Districts. Economic Development
Commentary, Spring, p. 4-9.
Hum, Tarry. 2001. Immigrant Economies and NeighborhoodRevitalization: A Case
Study of Sunset ParkBrooklyn. New York: Queens College City University of New
York.
Hyde Jackson Main Street Economic Restructuring Committee and OKM Associates Inc.
2003. Hyde Jackson Main Street Business Survey Results.
Hyde Jackson Main Street Economic Restructuring Committee and OKM Associates Inc.
2004. Hyde Jackson Main Street Customer Survey Results.
Keating, Dennis W., Norman Krumholz and Philip Star. 1996. Revitalizing Urban
Neighborhoods, Lawrence: University Press of Kansas.
Light, Ivan. 1984. Immigrant and Ethnic Enterprise in North America. Ethnic and Racial
Studies, Vol. 7, p. 19 5 -2 16 .
Light, Ivan and Edna Bonacich. 1988. Immigrant Entrepreneurs:Koreans in Los Angeles
1965-1982, Berkeley: University of California Press.
Light, Ivan and Carolyn Rosenstein. 1995. Race, Ethnicity and Entrepreneurshipin
Urban America, New York: Aldine De Gruyter.
Local Initiatives Support Corporation website. 2005. http://www.lisc.org.
Mintzberg, Henry. 1983. Structure in Fives: Designing Effective Organizations,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Mitchell, Jerry. 2001. Business Improvement Districts and the New Revitalization of
Downtown", Economic Development Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 2, p. 115-123.
Moore, Christopher W. 1996. The Mediation Process:PracticalStrategiesfor Resolving
Conflict, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Morris, Aldon. 1984. Origins of the Civil Rights Movement: Black Communities
Organizingfor Change. New York: The Free Press.
National Trust Historic Preservation website. 2005. http://www.mainstreet.org.
Nemeth, C.J. and B.M Staw. 1989. The Tradeoffs of Social Control and Innovation in
Groups and Organizations. In L. Berkowitz (Edt.) Advances in Experimental Social
Psychology. New York: Academic Press.
Portes, Alejandro and Richard L. Bach. 1985. Latin Journey: Cuban andMexican
Immigrants in the United States, Los Angeles: University of California Press.
Seidman, Karl. 2004. Revitalizing Commerce for American Cities: A Practitioner's
Guide to Urban Main Street Program,Washington DC: Fannie Mae.
Seidman, Karl. Unpublished. Urban Inner City CommercialRevitalization: A Literature
Review. Unpublished article, dated June 2002.
Sunset Park 5th Avenue District BID. 1996-2004. Annual Reports.
Sunset Park 5th Avenue District BID. 2003. 5'h Avenue Guide to Shoppers.
Susskind, Lawrence, Sarah McKearnan and Jennifer Thomas-Learner. 1999. The
Consensus Building Handbook, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Thomas, David A. and Robin J. Ely. 1996. Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm
for Managing Diversity. HarvardBusiness Review, Sept-Oct Issue, p.79-90.
Tietz, Michael B. 1989. Neighborhood Economics: Local Communities and Regional
Markets, Economic Development Quarterly, Vol. 3, No.2, p. 111-121.
United States Census Bureau. 2000. Characteristicsof Business Owners Database,
Washington, D.C.
Union Square Main Street. 2005. Meeting Minutes and other documents.
United States Census Bureau. 2000. Census 2000, Washington, D.C.
Unity Council website. 2005. www.unitycouncil.org.
Waldinger, Roger, Howard Aldrich and Robin Ward. 1990. Ethnic Entrepreneurs:
ImmigrantBusiness in IndustrialSocieties, Newbury Park: Sage Publications.
Waxman, Andy. 1999. Utilizing Economic Theories of Retail to Revitalize Inner-City
NeighborhoodBusiness Districts: The Case of Uphams CornerMain Street. Master's
Thesis, Cambridge: M.I.T. Department of Urban Studies and Planning.
Wellner, Alison S. 2001. Diversity, Inc. American Demographics, Vol. 23, No. 10, p.2223.
Wilson, Kenneth L. and Alejandro Portes. 1980. Immigrant Enclaves: An Analysis of the
Labor Market Experiences of Cubans in Miami", American Journalof Sociology, Vol. 86,
p. 2 9 5 -3 19.
Wong, Bernard. 1987. The Role of Ethnicity in Enclave Enterprises: A Study of the
Chinese Garment Factories in New York City. Human Organization,Vol. 46, No. 2, p.
120-30.
100
Tony Barros, Founder, Hyde Jackson Square Main Street.
Kristi Chase, Preservation Planner, City of Somerville.
Aileen Duggen, Director, Hyde Jackson Square.
Ben Dryer, Board Member and Head of Design Committee, Union Square Main Street.
Renee Giordano, Director and Founder, Sunset Park 5 th Avenue BID.
Valerie Grabiel, Former Director, Hyde Jackson Square Main Street.
Mimi Graney, Executive Director, Union Square Main Street.
Shoma Haque, Rappaport Fellow, Office of Housing and Community Development, City
of Somerville.
Kenneth Kelly, Board Member and Head of Promotions Committee, Union Square Main
Street.
Bob Rodriguez, Founder Sunset Park 5 th Avenue BID.
Carrie Sousa, Project Manager, Office of Housing and Community Development, City of
Somerville.
The identity of the fifteen business owners interviewed in Union Square cannot be
disclosed due to confidentiality reasons.
101
The business inventory encompasses the businesses located in the Central Business
District (CBD) as defined by Union Square Main Street as of March 2005.
-
The names of the businesses, addresses, and retail/service category were
obtained via field research (observation).
= The ethnicity was determined either by field research (name of business or
storefront display) or through the interviews conducted with business owners
in the area.
= The square footage was determined based on a two-step process:
1. Identifying the building in the City of Somerville Assessors Maps and
using the database (http://data.visionappraisal.com/somervillema/) to
obtain the building's square footage.
2. In the case of multiple businesses in one building, I walked each
storefront to determine the percentage of the building's square footage
that is allocated to the specific business.
NOTE: Some of the buildings with odd shapes were harder to measure and, therefore the
approximated square footage is less accurate.
Name of Business
No.
Street
Floor
Ethnicity
Retail/Service Category
Apprx.
Sq feet
1st
floor
Map/Lot
Sq Ft
Good Year Tires
I
Bow St.
I
Commercial Space
11
Bow St.
1,2
Feel Well Rehab Clinic
19
Bow St.
I
Law Offices
23
Bow St.
1
The Neighborhood Res and
25
Bow St.
I
Ned's Hair Cutting Salon
29
Bow St.
I
Stanhope Framers
55
Bow St.
I
Design/Artist
8,250
Mt. Auburn Health Care
33
Bow St.
I
Medical and Dental
6,335
6,335
73-27 A
Auto Repair
65
Bow St.
1
vehicle Maintenance,
1,176
1,176
63-32 C
Hair/Nail Salons
1,067
3,950
63-33 C
Restaurant
1,501
vehicle Sales
Brazilian
8,218
8,218
73-10 C
7,602
3,801
73-11 C
Medical and Dental
2,109
2,109
73-24 A
Accounting and Legal
1,971
1,971
73-25 A
Restaurant
1,546
2,310
73-26 A
Hair/Nail Salons
764
Bakery
63-20 C
Repair
Gold Scissors
75
Bow St.
1
Little India
77
Bow St.
I
Union Square Real Estate
79
Bow St.
1
Capone Foods
Bow St.
1
Union Square Bistro
1214
16
Bow St.
1,2
Toque de Anjo
18
Bow St.
1
Union Square Market Place
22
Bow St.
Boyes Watson Architects
30
John Ambark Dentist
Indian
Real Estate
1,382
Italian
Specialty/Wholesale/Bakery
2,415
2,415
74-14 C
6,503
6,622
74-13 C
Brazilian
Apparel
3,311
1
Convenience Store
2,650
2,650
74-12 C
Bow St.
1
Desigs/Artist
1,151
1,151
74-10 C
36
Bow St.
1
Medical and Dental
1,328
1,328
74-8 C
Solucao Casa de Carnes
38
Bow St.
1
Specialty/Wholesale/Bakery
1,494
3,049
74-7 C
Jerry's Underground
39
Bow St.
I
Hair/Nail Salons
518
Sunny's Deli
40
Bow St.
I
Convenience Store
1,037
Fred M. Susan & Sons
271
Somerville Av.
vehicle Maintenance,
6296
6,296
81-7 D
Brazilian
102
Name of Business
No.
Street
Floor
Ethnicity
Retail/Service Category
Apprx.
Sq feet
1st
floor
Sq
Map/Lot
Ft
Repair
Union Square Veterinary
37
Union Square
1
6,184
74-15 C
1,938
1,938
74-16, 17
929
929
74-18 C
Liquor Store
4,052
4,052
74-21 C
Bar
1,564
5,008
74-22,23
Veterinary
1742
Electronics and appliances
1,200
Other professional services
2,022
Clinic
Somerville Multiservice
295
Somerville Av.
I
JJ Vaccaro
Telecomunications Group
Girl from Ipanema
38
Union Square
2
Latino
8
Bow St.
I
Davidson Laundry
10
Bow St.
I
Wagner Jewelers
301
Somerville Av.
1
Brazilian
Jewelry
Lino's Restaurant
307
Somerville Av.
I
Portuguese
Restaurant
International Optical
311
Somerville Av.
I
Portuguese
Other
Jerry's Liquors
329
Somerville Av.
1
Sally O'Briens
335
Somerville Av.
I
Union Square Family Health
337-
Somerville Av.
I
Medical and Dental
3,444
335341
345
Somerville Av.
2
-
5,008
Somerville Av.
I
Bar
2,794
2,794
74-24 C
Bombay Market
359
Somerville Av.
1
Indian
Specialty/Wholesale/Bakery
600
1,929
74-27 C
Mistica
361a
Somerville Av.
I
Brazilian
Apparel
634
1,959
74-28 C
Cidinha
361b
Somerville Av.
I
Brazilian
Apparel
702
AA Cash Register
361c
Somerville Av.
1
Hobby/Special Interest
623
12,407
74-IC
Brazilian
Hair/Nail Salons
980
Cleaners/Laundry
1,440
822
C
Irish
C
341
Commercial Space
P.A.s Lounge
458
Shalo Bo
62
Bow St.
I
Brazilian
Hair/Nail Salons
Amazonia Insurance
66
Bow St.
I
Brazilian
Insurance
5,648
International Market
367
Somerville Av.
I
Brazilian
Convenience Store
1,104
All Seasons Home
369
Somerville Av.
I
Design/Artist
509
Silvia's Boutique
369
Somerville Av.
I
Brazilian
Apparel
637
Brazilian-American
371
Somerville Av.
1
Brazilian
Instruction
1,146
Braz Transfers
377
Somerville Av.
1
Brazilian
Wire transfer, lottery
3,363
Club Choices
381
Somerville Av.
1
2,100
2,100
63-34 C
M/S Caribbean Music and
383
Somerville Av.
I
Hatian
Music/Book/Video
1,289
2,578
63-35 C
Hollywood Nails Design
389
Somerville Av.
I
Hair/Nail Salons
1,289
Wuchon House
290
Somerville Av.
1
Restaurant
4,458
4,458
82-8 C
Dunkin Donuts
282
Somerville Av.
1
Pizza, Fast Food
2,023
2,023
82-10 C
Walnut Street Center
300
Somerville Av.
I
Medical and Dental
4,238
4,238
74-3 D
933
2,160
74-2 D
525
1,050
Remodeling
Launguages
Products
Asian
304
Somerville Av.
1
Commercial Space
314
Somerville Av.
1
Digitron
316
Somerville Av.
1
La Internacional Food
Corporation
New Asia Chinese Cuisine
320
Somerville Av.
1
Latino
Convenience Store
2,479
2,479
74-1 D
326
Somerville Av.
I
Asian
Restaurant
3,086
3,086
74-16 B
Union Hair Salon
344
Somerville Av.
2
Brazilian
Hair/Nail Salons
3,141
3,141
74-24 B
J.J. Sullivan Plumbing
346
Somerville Av.
I
Home
3,141
Maranatha Hair Salon
358
Somerville Av.
1
Brazilian
Hair/Nail Salons
1,162
2,108
74-8 B
Bacc Travel
362
Somerville Av.
1
Brazilian
Travel
10,672
5,336
74-4 B
814
814
74-3 B
The Family Center
366
Somerville Av.
1,2
Tir Na Nog
366a
Somerville Av.
I
Brazilian
Real Estate
Vendas Inmobiliarias
Printing and Publishing
Medical and Dental
Irish
103
Bar
525
946
Name of Business
No.
Street
Floor
Ethnicity
Retail/Service Category
Luzia's Brazilian Restaurant
372
Somerville Av.
I
Brazilian
Restaurant
Champagne Glass Company
374
Somerville Av.
1
Apprx.
Sq feet
1st
floor
Sq
1,923
Map/Lot
Ft
2,944
74-1 B
3,905
74-4 A
1,021
Pine Mine Country Antiques
380
Somerville Av.
1
Home
1,952
Londontowne Galleries
380
Somerville Av.
I
Home
1,952
Market Basket
400
Somerville Av.
I
Supermarket
46,278
46,278
64
1
Union Square
I
Vehicle Maintenance,
4,698
4,698
82-7 C
Mikes Automotive Service
Repair
Riverside Kawasaki
2
Union Square
I
Italian
Vehicle Sales
7,786
7,786
82-6 C
Mandarin Chinese Restaurant
7
Union Square
1
Asian
Restaurant
2,206
5,122
82-4 C
Angel Nails
9
Union Square
1
Union Square Korean
9a
Union Square
1
Asian
Restaurant
2,206
Western Union
12
Union Square
1
All
Wire transfer, lottery
1,879
2,868
82-3 C
Auto Insurance
13
Union Square
I
Vehicle Maintenance,
989
MA State Lottery
14
Union Square
I
Amarildos Hair Design
18
Union Square
I
Mamma Ginas
19
Union Square
I
Commercial Space
19
Union Square
2
Walden Cleaners
21
Union Square
1
Cleaners/Laundry
610
Charles Roberts Hair Cutters
21a
Union Square
I
Hair/Nail Salons
542
Excel Mortgage
22
Union Square
I
Real Estate
542
India Palace
23
Union Square
I
Indian
Restaurant
700
Red House Chinese
Restaurant
Machu Pichu Restaurant
24
Union Square
I
Asian
Restaurant
700
25
Union Square
I
Latino
Restaurant
Verizon Wireless
26
Union Square
1
Hair/Nail Salons
709
Restaurant
Repair
Lifetime Transfer
Brazilian
Wire transfer, lottery
2,176
2,176
82-2 C
Hair/Nail Salons
2,225
3,754
82-1 C
7,182
74-5 D
7,467
74-4 D
Pizza, Fast Food
1,529
3,804
900
1,151
28
Union Square
I
Wire transfer, lottery
474
It's a Girl
29A
Union Square
1
Apparel
474
Haitian
Sherman Caf6
257
Washington St.
I
Specialty/Wholesale/Bakery
1,151
Elegant Furniture
31
Union Square
1
Home
4,938
Third Life Studio
33
Union Square
I
Instruction
2,529
Professional Offices
33.5
Union Square
2
G&T Custom Tailoring
36
Union Square
I
Citizens Bank
41
Union Square
I
Reliable Market
45
Union Square
I
Reliable Video
52
Union Square
Brasil Insurance
53
Union Square
Fred Villaris Studios and
54
Union Square
5,753
Brazilian
Tailor/Shoe Repair
600
4,238
74-3 D
Bank
5,718
5,718
73-19 D
Asian
Convenience Store
5,282
5,282
73-19B D
I
Asian
Music/Book/Video
1,164
4,656
73-19A D
I
Brazilian
Insurance
1,164
2
Instruction
1,893
6,850
73-29 E
Self-Defense
Wayne A. Snow CPA
53
Union Square
2
Accounting and Legal
1,893
Union Square Smoke Shop
54
Union Square
1
Convenience Store
1,164
56B
Union Square
1
Hair/Nail Salons
1,164
Maria's Market
57
Union Square
1
Specialty/Wholesale/Bakery
3,087
Quick Color Copy
60
Union Square
I
Printing and Publishing
1,660
Richard Schifone Law
60
Union Square
2
Accounting and Legal
1,660
Union Bakery
61
Union Square
I
Brazilian
Specialty/Wholesale/Bakery
1,992
Centro Comunitario Vida
61
Union Square
2
Brazilian
Medical and Dental
1,992
Union Square
1
Chez Orize
Portuguese
Offices
Bank of America
Bank
104
111
Name of Business
No.
Street
Floor
Ethnicity
Retail/Service Category
Apprx.
Sq feet
1st
floor
Map/Lot
Sq Ft
Union Square Pizza & Subs
63
Union Square
I
Costamar Travel
64-
Union Square
I
Toast Lounge
70
Union Square
Apt. Hub Real Estate
70
Union Square
Christopher Kokoros
70
Union Square
CAAS
70
The Ruby Rogers Center
The Independent
Somerville Community
Access TV
MA Alliance for Portuguese
Pizza, Fast Food
827
Travel
1,194
1
Bar
3,000
2
Real Estate
2,000
2
Insurance
2,000
Union Square
I
Social Service Provider
5,000
71
Union Square
1
75
Union Square
I
90
Union Square
1
92
Union Square
I
Monro Muffler Break
223
Wahington St.
1
Ricky's Flower Market
238
Wahington St.
1
Gulf Gas Station
231
Washington St
1
Taqueria La Mexicana
247b
Washington St
1
Latino
Irish Eyes Pub
249
Washington St
1
Irish
Vango Convenience
251
Washington St
Metro Design Group
251b
Washington St
St. Gerards Thrift Shop
251a
Great Thai Chef
Post Office
Latino
2,021
73-28 E
10,037
73-27 E
65
Insurance
1,680
1,680
73-26 E
Restaurant
3,162
3,162
73-25 E
Social Service Provider
2,531
5,061
73-1 F
Social Service Provider
2,531
Vehicle Maintenance,
Repair
Flowers/Plant Store
2,669
2,668
81-31 A
8,200
8,200
81-1 D
Gas/Motor Oil
6,388
6,388
81-7 E
Restaurant
1,134
3,494
73-23 E
Bar
2,360
I
Convenience Store
1,801
13,428
73-24 E
1
Design/Artist
3,604
Washington St
1
Apparel
1,965
255
Washington St
1
237
Washington St
I
Irish
Portuguese
Speakers
Asian
Restaurant
6,059
Post Office
20,000
n/a
81-8 E
29,613
81-4 D
2,498
81-1 C
2,941
81-12 B
Police Station
220
Washington St
1,2
Police
57,534
Sillari Plumbing
210
Washington St
I
Home
1,249
Best Rate Insurance
208
Washington St
I
Insurance
1,249
Cota Stuzziero Funeral Home
197
Washington St
I
Other professional services
2,941
Somerville Boys and Girls PS
181
Washington St
1
School
15,000
Auto Brokers/Valvoline Oil
182
Washington St
1
Vehicle Maintenance,
1,000
3,097
94-1 D
5,879
93-9 F
2,285
93-8 F
81-11 B
Repair
Change
Marione Studio Photo
179
Washington St
1
Other professional services
1,306
Modem Styles Hair
175
Washington St
I
Hair/Nail Salons
1,225
Adonia Gospel Records
171
Washington St
1
Brazilian
Music/Book/Video
735
The Dog House
169
Washington St
I
Hobby/Special Interest
1,266
Ginettes Beauty Supply
165
Washington St
I
Brazilian
Other
653
Mister Vacum
163
Washington St
1
Appliances
694
Esquina Brazil
161
Washington St
1
Apparel
500
JJ Variety Subs
157
Washington St
I
Brazilian
Pizza, Fast Food
105
1,785
Dear
;_
I am the president of the
Main Street Board of Directors. Each year in
February, prior to our annual meeting, new people are sought to fill open positions on our
Board. Three Board Members will be retiring from the Board in February.
Your name has been suggested as a possible new Board Member, as we have targeted
some business and professional areas that we would like to have represented on our
Board. We strive to have well-balanced mix of representatives directing the programs of
Main Street.
Our Board meetings are held monthly, on the second Wednesday at 7:45 a.m. They last
approximately one hour. We also ask that each member serve on a standing committee,
such as Organization, Promotion, Economic Restructuring, or Design. Board members
are asked to commit from four to eight hours a month to Main Street. Each member is
also needed to play a role in our annual fund raising efforts.
If you are interested in getting involved in what I believe is an exciting and
accomplishment drive program, I ask tat you please fill out the enclosed form which will
help us see how your expertise fits with our current board mix. I would appreciate it if
you could return your form by
, if possible. If you have any questions or
would like more information about Main Street, please feel free to call me at 555-5555 or
call John Smith, Executive Director of
Main Street.
If you are not interested at this time but would like us to keep our name in consideration
for future board openings, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Bill Gates, President
Our Town Main Street Board of Directors
The survey sheet had the following on it. From their forms we plotted all their answers
out on one sheet, just a big sheet blocked off with these characteristics running down the
side and board member's name across the top. By plotting our current Board Members,
we could see what our board was lacking and then added the potential new members
characteristics, we could tell who would fill the gaps for us.
MAIN STREET BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMPOSITION ANALYSIS
Please check all that apply to you:
106
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
1. Administrative -- General
2. Architecture
3. Artist
4. Banking
___
5. Budgeting/Finance
6. Business Owner
7. Charity Organization
8. Computer Equipment (Hardware)
__ 9. Computer Programs (Software)
__
10. Education
11. Fund raising
12. Health Care
_
13. Leadership
14. Legal
__
15. Marketing
_
16. Media/Public Relations
_
17. Organizing
18. Personnel
19. Planning/Development
20. Politics
21. Public Safety
22. Public Speaking
23. Real Estate
24. Service Clubs
25. Social Services
26. Volunteer Administration
__
27. Writing
28. Other Skills
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Age
15-20
21-35
36-50
51-65
Over 65
-Male
-Female
The 4 W's make a strong and healthy board. Which one of the following best describes
you?
Wealth
Wisdom
Worker
Worrier
107
.A
ThesJasalca P
cir fal isa
ofCimnniypride, arts, ad the
caln
W in our neighborhood
rich diers food here
It has btcore -tte* culmnation
eve of the yda pywiinfun
for people of all ages and
culturesl
The Fair is hoste by local
busnes and commumnity
roups and organied by
Nndreds of voklzeers.
RPm is dgins as a
sidewalk sale forteen
years ago. the Far has.
grown into a "dant-iss'
extraagana atended
by more than 20,000
people.
The event kick off vwh
a parade thou'$i the distitt
featuring batfn twilerS and
bicydists Local youth groups
perform dance and msical
numbers txoughout the da
on the community stage
The muiciW ineup on the
main stages featues top
bnds fomacundMe egon
representing a wide rangeof
style. iduding gospet jan
martar furt sasa.
nrwgue. and reggae
The varied mi(ofverd4s
includes artsans from all Ive
the ciy selling ar andi crafts. People can
sample the foods of many coumries from some of the areat
top restaurars and caMS Excitig chldrent actides
irruing Interactive art dance, festival rides and pupets
lttthe festival.
are stoned twu
The hosts of this evet hawe voked together for many
years to revitafee the neighbethood. They are the
Hyde Squa
Task Force. Hyde/ackson Squam Business ssociation.
Hyde/Jackson SquareMairt Stem Program and the Jamaica Pain
Neihthood Developmnt Corporation.
The Jamaica Pain XWorldt Fair symbolIAes
the spirit of diversity and community pride
tat make Janaica Plain art of the
best places to live In the city of Bostoni
108
SunsetSunset
Park District Management Association
Park Business Improvement District
Street, cor. 5"' Avenue, 2"' floor / Brooklyn NY 11220
476
EmI
Busirs "iprovement
Distrid
PHONE; 4718) 439-77671 FA X: (71N) 439-7794
arl.cum / WEtlS1TfI-- %bietparkbiatort
t.: Susett'arktIB
SERVING SUNSET PARICS 5*' AVENUE COMMUNITY SINCE 1995
SUNSET PARK BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SURVEY
The Sunset Park Business Improvement District exists thanks to the vision of dedicated business,. civic and political leaders in
the Sunset Park cominunity, who recognized the necessityfor an equal sharingoftheburden andresponsibilityinkeeping 5*Avcnue viable
as a business district and as the "hean* of the Sunset Park comnity
Now, after almost nine fill years ofoperation, Sunset Park has a "Main Street" which is virtually graffiti-free, cleaner, safer, more
wecoming and economically healthier. Your BID has opened reliable lines of communication with all city agencies that have a
responsibidity for providing local services. Ithas created linkages with other organizations. Strong positive relationshipshave developed
between your BID and your elected officials from all Ievels of government. The diverse members of the busimess and residential
conanmuities have come together to work positively for an enhanced quality of life in Sunset Park.
Once again, we need to hear from you, the members, so that we know how your BID is affectmg you and what paths it should take
in the future. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions below that pertain to you and return this survey to your BID office by
March 31". 2004, Thank you,
Circle One
ABOUT OUR MEMBERS
YES --NO
1.Ilave
7
13
69
41
33
12
82
77
81
55
85
3
8
7
25
2
14
62
54
66
16
6
20
55
37
43
21
58
68
31
35
15
47
48
43
43
you owned your building, business or lived on 5* Avenue for less than 4 years?
2. Have you owned your building, business or lived on 5* Avenue for 4-9 years?
3. Have you owned your building, business or lived on 5* Avenue for more than 9 years?
B1D GENERAL INFORMATION
I Are you aware that you are part of the Sunset Park 5' Avenue BID?
2. Do you get mail from your BID with information on meetings, projects, plans?
3. When you get mail from your BID, do you read it and/or respond to it?
4. Would you like to become more involved in the future of your BID?
5. Would you like to see your BID continue is work of revitalizing 5' Avenue for you?
BID ADVOCACY & STAFF
1.Has your BID advocated for you personally or solved a problem with a city agency for you?
2. Are you aware that your B11) lobbies to keep city services on 5 Avenue?
3. Has your BID staff been helpful and pleasant when dealing with you?
BID PROMOTIONS
L Did you receive your BID window decal for you to display your BID membership?
2. Have you participated in one or more BID events, or programs - Safe Haven, Parade of Flags,
Sidewalk Sales Days, Street Festival, gift certificates, tree planting, free advertising, meetings,
tree lighting, surveys, R.O.S.E. mini-grant program?
3. Have you ever received, through the BID, "no tax week" posters, information on forums,
grants, loans, or other programs of importance to you?
RECONSTRUCTION/RENAISSANCE PROJECT
I Have you seen the decorative lampposts on 5* Avenue purchased with the $850,000 which your
B1D asked Assemblyman Ortiz to allocate towards the beautification of 5' Avenue?
2. Did you know that Congresswoman Velizquez has allocated $180,000 towards this project?
3. Did you know that Councilwoman Gonzalez has allocated $50,000 towards this project?
4. Did you know that your BID is monitoring and meeting with NYC Department of Transportation
to plan for the Reconstruction of Sunset Park's 5' Avenue which may begin in 2008?
25
109
BANNERS AND HOLIDAY LIGHTS
1. Iid you see the holiday lights on every block from 38' to 64' Street?
2 Did you see the illumnated SUNSET PARK BID arches on 38' & 64* Street?
3 Did you attend the stage performances at the BID tree lighting ceremonies?
4 Did the 18'holiday tree placed in front of OfPIH on 59' Street and 5' Avenue add to the spirit of
cooperation between the communit .nd the merchants?
5. 1 ave you noticed that the lamp pust banners change 5 times during the year, promoting shopping?
SECURITY
1. Did the security force, hired by your BID to monitor 5' Avenue during December, act as a deterrent
to crime and give a greater sense of safety to shoppers'?
2 Does the free Safe Haven program foster a special bond between the businesses and the local
community by protecting children and senior citizens?
3. Would you be interested in taking part in the Safe Haven program?
4. Do you think that having security cameras on 5' Avenue will create a sa fer avenue and deter crimes
such as graffiti and burglaries?
SPECIAL EVENTON)1"
YES NO
79
3
73
6
12
68
60
47
8
30
61
9
53
27
12
32
67
12
26
52
31
44
45
32
AVENUE
1. 1ave you ever participated in the Sunset Park 5' Avenue BID Street Festival?
2. Did you know that there wasn't a single act of violence or problem even though 75.000 people enjoyed
this year's Street Festival?
3. Did you know that the BID-sponsored 5* Ave. Parade of Flags has been taking place for 10 years?
4. Do you think that Sidewalk Sales Days for 4 days in July will bring more attention
to 5' Avenue businesses?
57
18
GRAFFITI REMOVAL PROJECT
1 Does a graffiti free 5o Avenue create a more pleasant shopping atmosphere for customers?
2. Did the graffiti removal company, hired by your BID, maintain your property graffiti-free?
79
53
18
SANITATION & PAILS
I. Do you think a clean street and sidewalk will entice more shoppers to come to 5' Avenue?
2, Have you seen our BD sanitation crew emptying and cleaning underneath the corner pails?
77
62
3
15
65
72
59
11
4
VENDOR ISSUES
I. Do you think that street peddlers hurt business and create an unpleasant shopping area?
2. Will you help us in our campaign to eliminate illegal vending from 5' Avenue?
3. Did you know that there are regulations prohibiting most street vending on 5' Avenue?
5
19
Other Coninients:
If you would like to receive more information or be more involved please include the following information:
Name:
Address:_
Phone:
...
Business name:
.....
.....
-__Email:
....
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERAIION
AND FOR CARING A BOUT YOUR BID COMMUNITY.
26
110
The questions included in this document served as a guide while conducting interviews
with business owners in Union Square. The questions were asked in a conversation
format ratherthan a formal interview format.
About their business
* How long have they been in area as a business owner? If applicable, as a resident?
e How long has the business been open?
* How many employees does the business have?
e Do you own or rent space in the building? If you rent, who is your landlord?
Who are your customers?
e
o Where do they come from (geography)?
o Do they belong to specific ethnic group(s)?
e Do you do any marketing for your business? How and where? What has been
most effective?
About themselves
" What is your involvement in the business? How many hours do you spend in the
business per day/week?
e
Are you US or foreign born? If foreign, how long have you been in the US? If US
born, what is your decent?
* If foreign born, did you have a business in the country you were in before coming
to the US?
e What is your main language of communication with family/friends? With
customers? With other business owners?
Union Square
What main trends have you seen in the area in the last 5 years?
What are the main challenges and weaknesses you see in the area?
What are the main opportunities and strengths you see in the area?
If you think 5 years from now, what is your vision for Union Square? What kinds
of stores do you see? What kinds of customers do you see in your store? How do
you envision the physical space of the Square?
* What do you think would be a good way to promote Union Square to a wider
customer base? What would be the message? Which vehicles would you use?
About
*
*
e
e
About Linkage with other Businesses
* What kinds of networks or groups (formal or informal) do you belong to in Union
Square or in Somerville?
e What types of relationships do you have with other business owners in Union
Square? How often do you talk to or socialize with other business owners in the
area?
111
* Do you belong to a merchant association? If so, do you believe your needs as a
business owner are being addresses? If not, why? Have you ever been involved in
one?
About Main Streets
* Do you know about the Main Street program that is being implemented in the
area? What do you know? What do you think about it?
e Do you think Union Square will benefit from having a Main Street program? Why
or why now?
e Have you attended any USMS meetings? Do you plan to? Are you interested in
being a member of any of the committees?
e Do you think the program will effectively represent the needs of your business?
Why or why not?
e What could USMS do to ensure your needs are being addressed? From an
organizational standpoint? From a promotional standpoint?
e
What kind of programs or training would you like USMS to make available that
would help you with your business?
112
inmka tby Mayor Jseph Cursonme,
Union
sqmrenlares is a nonprmk pb-
Mayor Joseph Curatone and Union
Square Main Streets invite you to
bc-private purumtn ip between the Cy of
SonervIe, the Ntdmii Min Str Conw,
Square bunmn haners, rvd-4* W
Union
comuninitylnaderTiThotfsr Ica nltybaed economk revhaktan pri*gtrw l
provide merdn and tanlehty rsiden
with Ohe tools for the neighborhoe4 widvance its own redeeoprent
Union Square Main Streos followa a
proven nadonal m"odl. Sgun In 1977 by de
hdenaI Trust for Hkrsor resservadon kSl
day wprarcthraoric commeWl arcitecmrm, the Man St pogqramhas developed
as a cotmprhende reahatIon rmeg to
ourwmW strc ik* nkmSemre. Currenfdy tibii sWfatmiil Center administersd "J
0*f ard oer 160
communttms i "A
,
ith it
tw
in
Aserk
citywide neo*me4m 44h16
Basant The Mi~w et
f a m~qq
for restwrng aemmRWaifmoemic viabky
then mW"Aiaiin *thesensiWes "V
Unim SquarMain StesiawdledbyMayoroseph
Certameie.s # nn-preft orqahtiom
to revitallze
UnionSquare. Wah Othr hbmsn ederIS, residen ,
eivk and commnaty laders earn how al of us can
work rgesmer reamprove the economic e of lUnion
Square For oe Information please contact
US%@uionuyremaktorg - 61423-1392 A119
am,-
113
ol)
L' uN
m
Union Square Main Strewet increases &e vibwancy
of xhis omerviille neighborhood by enhancing its
business district and surrounding neirborhoods
thomugh active conmunity oIoration,
Union Square Main Streets folows the successful
model of the Natinal Main Street Center with vol-
"We are a broad-based group of representatives of
Union Square, knluding business and comr
oil property owners, residepa, non-rek and
Design- Creates an inviting atmosphere for Union
Square -hrough preservation and creative reuse
of histor-i budirs Dtvekops coordinated buiding desligr guieles: improvm public spaces. Promoes storefront lmprovenents
unteer, community-based committees leading focused
initiatives.
civit leaders, and Somrerie city goverwent
" We help Union Square grow as a thriving, safe,
friindty
usnsdisriproidnn
vr se ultra
oQffnings and a variety fdependet businesses
to both serve and employ reidenmt
Prosmotle- Developsa unified Union Square identity and presenmts the promise of Union Square
to shopps, investors, new buinesses. and viiitors; Creates and distributes markedrg materias; Hosts Union Square event;
simments a
media campaiga
- We strive to make )iion Square ceaner and more
pedesrian-friendly,
"We seek to improve the trrenites of Union Sqtuare
with better signage and a cleaner appearance
Economic Restr aituring-improves the retai
miv inUnion Square; Proi$es technical assace;
Directs real esmte development Recruts bvsnesses to reduce vacancies.
-We promote Lien Square. that people will want
tollive in Somervile and shoppers wil come from
other areas to enjoy its vibrant arts, retail and
Transportaetio Eh espedesancessibicy and safety; lincreases aecessibkty and access
to pub#c transportaion; Improves trafic gow and
access to parking
enterninment offerings.
- We foster Ioca eaadership and cooperation of res1dents businesses and ladlords to build ahealthy,
economically vital Uner-n Square-
Organization- Builds consensus and cooperaton
among the Union Square business district stakenelders; Recrits board member: Provides fran.
ciai oversight. Raises funds.
* We recognize that there are no imagkat, cvernight
soluaasfor reviving Union Squaredjus gradual
processofefve tranformation.Revitaation
comes both through cooperadve piwnning for the
fiure anti creadag visible change now,
114